The Love Dare
by TheNovelArtist
Summary: After Hawkmoth was defeated, Adrien and Marinette are both hurt, leaving their marriage strained. Worried, Tikki and Plagg decided to take matters into their own hands by issuing a series of dares in an attempt to help their charges fix their marriage. But it only works if they are willing to try.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Novel is feeling good and on a writing roll, so why not crank out a love story updated once a day until Valentine's day? ;)

* * *

Life was good in Paris. Hawkmoth had been defeated last year, meaning the superheroes got to retire, and Marinette got to take over a fashion company and make it her own. She had nothing to complain about.

Or, so one would think.

They say young love doesn't last, and if you had asked an eighteen-year-old Marinette who wore a ring on her finger given to her by her precious superhero partner, she would have told you to shove that advice up your you-know-where.

Now, at twenty-four years of age, she was beginning to believe it.

When it had been discovered who had been behind the Butterfly Miraculous, it had wrecked all of them, but Adrien had been the most damaged. Since that day, he never was the same. Marinette could only do so much to make him open up, particularly when he didn't want to.

However, besides Adrien being a mess, Marinette was left with the disaster that was the Gabriel fashion company. Previous to his defeat, Gabriel had taken a liking to Marinette and had taught her how to run the business. When everything hit the fan, she was there to work overtime so that the company would still be standing and everyone would keep their jobs by the time the dust settled. Adrien didn't seem to mind; he'd dove into his fencing as a coping mechanism and soon offered to take over for his old fencing instructor when Mr. D'argencourt wanted to retire.

For a while after that, that's just how it was. It's how it had to be in order to cope with everything. One year later, and that didn't change.

It was edging closer to seven at night by the time Marinette got home. The second she dumped her keys on the counter, her phone began to ring, meaning she had to dig in the overlarge tote bag to find the thing.

"You just got home and you're still working," Adrien grumbled.

"Well, you try to deal with the shit-show that's your father's company."

"You could just leave it 'til tomorrow."

"Except most people who call me need me immediately."

Adrien scoffed. "You run a huge company that makes copious amounts of money, yet you don't staff people to care for it in your absence."

Marinette dropped her purse on the counter, looking up at her husband with a spark in her eyes. The phone was long forgotten; she'd check the voicemail later. "I'm trying to keep everyone on, but as you know, Nathalie quit and no one can fill her job. No one exactly wants to play PR rep for a company that's only just hit its upswing after that disastrous scandal. What do you expect me to do, Adrien? Let it die? This is your family business I'm keeping alive."

"The business was called _Gabriel_. I don't know why you bother keeping that legacy alive when he's dead and deserves to be."

"Because he's your father."

"No, that's no why and you know it."

"Oh, then enlighten me."

Adrien stared at her with a frown that seemed to perpetually be on his face. Long gone were the days he smiled for cameras, but Marinette couldn't even remember what his smile looked like beyond the photoshoots.

"I find it fitting," Adrien growled, "that a company built by a selfish workaholic gets taken over by someone equally so."

Marinette's jaw hit the ground in pure and utter shock. Those words hit her hard, settling sourly in her stomach and starting a fire in her gut.

Thinking he'd won, he turned to march off.

"Well," she said, the words coming up so fast she couldn't stop them. "Like father, like son."

He whipped around to face her in a millisecond. "Excuse me."

"You heard me," Marinette snipped.

"And just _how_ do you think I'm like my father? _Enlighten_ _me_."

"Both reclusive, bitter people with no care for anyone living under the same roof as you."

"Reclusive?" Adrien sputtered.

"Deny it," Marinette challenged, staring dead into his eyes. "I dare you."

"And I dare you to deny that you care for nothing other than that damn company."

"I do care."

"Not that I've seen."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. Damn workaholic that never does anything if it's not related to the company. I do all the work around the house."

"You have more time than I do," Marinette defended.

"We both run our own business. Does it not occur to you that maybe I have just as little time as you?"

"Oh, well, if you think my life is so easy, then I suggest we switch a day. You'll eat those words."

"Or maybe you could just admit you're wrong."

"What am I wrong about? It's not like I _don't_ clean the house."

"When you're here which is, oh, _how often_?" Adrien snipped, voice dripping in bitter sarcasm.

"I don't need your sass."

"And I sure as shit don't need yours."

"Oh, like you weren't the one who started this."

Adrien paused. To say the ensuing silence was tense was an understatement.

"Well," Adrien finally growled. "I can end it." With that, he ripped the wedding band off his finger and slammed it on the kitchen counter. "I'm done."

Then he turned and marched away. Somewhere in the house, a door slammed shut, leaving Marinette standing there, stunned, numb, but surprisingly fine with that decision.

"So be it."

* * *

From their hiding spot in the kitchen that allowed them to have full view of the explosive encounter, Plagg and Tikki shared a look. "This isn't good, Tikki."

"I know, Plagg," the little kwami said, nervously looking at her charge as she marched into the guest bedroom seeing as Adrien barricaded himself in the master. "I'm worried for them."

The little black cat rubbed his paws together. "Do you think it's time we…"

Tikki looked at him, then nodded. "Its our only hope for them. I'm scared to say that Adrien may not be open to it."

Reluctantly, Plagg nodded. "Usually the first one fed up is the last one to come around."

"And your black cats are usually reluctant to do it."

Plagg nodded. "They're volatile. Your bugs are tamer."

"They have to be to balance out your cat," Tikki said. "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try with Adrien. And I'll hope for a miracle when it comes to Marinette."

"You and me both, Tikki," Plagg said, flying over to collect Adrien's wedding band off the counter. "You and me both."

* * *

Five long days had passed since the explosion between the two of them, and they were each plenty fine with not seeing each other as they came and went. Better that than arguing half the time.

"And he always starts it!"

"And she always starts it!"

Their friends and kwamis had heard it all, but it always came down to the same issue.

"Neither can accept responsibility for any of it," Tikki said to Plagg as they were curled up together in their hiding spot. "And the only way they'll make it work is if they stop doing that."

"They're both hurting, Tikki," Plagg pointed out. "This fallout with Hawkmoth lead to both weaknesses being exposed. Adrien needs her comfort and support because she's all the family he has left, yet he believes she is treating him similar to the way his father did, so Adrien's closing off to protect himself. Then Marinette is trying to preserve Adrien's father's legacy and trying to help everyone else because she doesn't know how to care for her own problems first. She likes fixing things, and since she can't figure out how to fix Adrien, she dove into work because that's the one thing she can control."

"And it leads to a self-perpetuating cycle," Tikki finished. "Yin and Yang."

"The negative version of it."

Tikki sighed, snuggling closer to Plagg. "We've handled this before," she whispered. "So I can only hope we can fix this now."

"The forty dares?"

"The forty dares," Tikki confirmed. "It's the only thing I see working at this point."

Plagg sighed. "Hopefully, they'll see sense, Cookie. They were always such a good team together."

"Because they were strong separately," Tikki reminded. "They aren't now."

"But that's one of the things the love dares do," Plagg said. "A partnership, whether of the superhero kind or a marriage, is not about each individual but individuals coming together. Tikki, they have to be reminded that they are part of something bigger than them and they are letting it fall apart by pointing fingers at the other."

With a sigh, Tikki put her paws over Plagg's. "Let's just hope they'll listen."


	2. Chapter 2

Adrien shut the door to his empty house after a long, tiring day at work. It reminded him of the day Marinette swore she worked harder than him. What a lie. She may work more hours, something she imposed upon herself, but Adrien was the one giving physical lessons while she sat at her desk taking phone calls.

He took a shower, grumbling about it before finally letting the hot water take the stress away. He doubted Marinette was coming home tonight; she'd been spending so much time at the office, which was perfectly fine by him. As long as he didn't have to deal with her, life was fine.

Not good, but fine.

Once completed with the shower, Adrien pulled on a pair of sweatpants before collapsing on the couch in front of the tv. He reached behind him for the clicker, only to find it wasn't where he left it.

Marinette must have moved it.

"Fine," he growled. Instead of looking for it, he settled down on the couch, letting his eyes close. Maybe he'd get a nap in before having to clean house and make dinner.

Heck, dinner was him and him alone tonight. Maybe he'd order food in, spoil himself.

He felt a weight settle on his head. It made him smile. Plagg. One of the very _very_ few people in the whole world who actually cared about him and the only one who cared unconditionally. He reached up to scratch the little kwami between the ears. "Thanks, Plagg."

"For what?"

"Being here."

Adrien felt the kwami sigh and settle deeper in his hair. "Adrien," he began in a tone that got him worrying. "Can I talk very honestly?"

He felt his gut grow tight. "Yeah," he said. "Anything, Plagg. What is it?"

There was a small pause. "I'm worried for you."

Adrien's brow furrowed. "Why?"

"You're not yourself."

Adrien shrugged dismissively. "It's just a phase, Plagg."

"It's been 'just a phase' for a year." Plagg flew out of his hair and onto his chest. "Adrien, this is more than just about your father, and you know it."

The last thing Adrien wanted to admit to his kwami was that he was right. He and Marinette… how they got this far apart, he didn't know. People change, but had you asked an eighteen-year-old lovesick Adrien, he would have said that there was no way they'd change that much.

How wrong he'd been. "Well, what am I supposed to do about it?"

With that, Plagg zipped off somewhere, but he was back almost as quickly. This time, holding a ring.

His wedding ring.

"Adrien," Plagg began. "I know this is difficult, but marriage has it's rough patches. You two have to come together to work this out."

Adrien stared at the ring, remembering the night he took it off and slammed it on the counter. He'd been mad then. Furious. But he'd seen his wife, he knew that look in her eye. That was a look he'd admired so much. The same one she had when she swore she was going to take down Hawkmoth. And now, it was being used against him.

"Well, there's no point if she doesn't want to," Adrien said, snatching the ring from Plagg if only to get it out of his sight. "This is over."

"Adrien!"

"No, Plagg," Adrien said, standing from the couch and knocking Plagg off his chest in the process. "It's not working now, and it won't work if she doesn't care."

"Maybe not right now, but with a little time—"

"We've had time," Adrien snapped as he marched into the bedroom. "We've had, what did you say, a year? She's had time, I've had time, and while I want this to change, it's perfectly clear she doesn't want to and I'm not going to waste any more of my life trying to change myself to please people that won't let me into their lives because you know who ends up getting the short end of the stick? _Me_."

He opened up one of the drawers to his dresser, throwing the wedding ring inside of it before slamming it shut. "I have nothing else to give, Plagg. _Nothing._ " Tears were beginning to well in his eyes. "I can't _do_ that anymore. I _can't_. She's not going to change, Plagg, and I'm not going to stand around waiting and hoping that she notices me if I change. Because it's always me that has to change. _Always._ I'm sick and tired of never being good enough for anyone, and if I'm not good enough for her, then tough shit. I'm done, Plagg. It's over. I can't. I _can't._ "

Before Adrien could fully dissolve to tears, Plagg settled in his hair and started purring. "It's okay, Adrien," Plagg assured. "It's okay. I understand."

From there, the anger slowly dissolved, letting the hurt and the fear flood in, and Adrien couldn't help but sink to the floor and sob.

* * *

Marinette hung up the phone for the last time that day. Hopefully, anyway. She was hungry and ready to go home.

Well, at least ready to crash in a bed and hope that she didn't see Adrien.

"Marinette," Tikki spoke up. "Before we go home, I want to have a little talk with you."

"Oh," Marinette said, somewhat surprised. She took a seat at her desk with Tikki floating in front of her. "Sure, what is it, Tikki?"

"I'm worried for you," the kwami said. "This… Nothing your going through is healthy."

"If this is about Adrien, I agree with that," Marinette mumbled.

"Partly," she said.

"See! Thank you for validating me."

"I never said that, Marinette," Tikki quickly corrected. "What I meant was that you are in a relationship where neither person gives anything."

"It'd be easier if he wasn't so full of himself," Marinette grumbled. "Honestly, it's like working with Gabriel. I'm not surprised he was Hawkmoth. Funny how his son's the keeper of destruction."

Tikki's eyes narrowed, and despite being a tiny thing, Marinette felt like she could shrink under Tikki's gaze. "I'm sorry if you don't want to hear this, but how _dare_ you, Marinette! Do you even hear yourself?"

That got Marinette to pause.

"This is _Adrien_ you're talking about. The boy whom you loved as a teenager because of his kind heart. The boy who became your superhero partner, whom you always assured was your equal, not below you."

"Well, he's changed, Tikki. I can't fix that."

"You've changed, too, and if you're looking to change him to suit your needs, you're going to be sorely disappointed, Marinette."

As Tikki's words sank in, Marinette's gaze fell to her desk.

Tikki sighed, the majority of her anger leaving her tiny body. "Marinette," she began again, her voice gentler now. "You have to understand that relationship is a box. It starts out empty and you have to fill it. You only get out of it what you put into it. A marriage is a very healthy union that gives solidity to a relationship, but it's still a box. An empty box."

"Well, my box with Adrien is very empty."

"The scary thing is that it's actually not," Tikki said. "It's filled with animosity and hurt. That last battle took a lot out of both of you, and instead of talking it out, you two each decided to dump your baggage—and I know there's been a lot of it lately—into the box. So the box is full—in fact, it's bursting at the seams—but it's full of all the wrong things."

"Then you're proving that it's better for Adrien and I to not have a box in the first place."

"That's not what I'm saying at all," Tikki gently corrected. "I'm saying that the box needs to be emptied, then repaired. Then you can refill it again. Properly. With love and care and selflessness."

Marinette's smile was bitter, but only Tikki could see just how pained it was. "Adrien doesn't love me anymore, Tikki. He doesn't want anything to do with me. And I don't want anything to do with him."

"With his problems, you mean," Tikki said, looking at her with understanding. "You still love him, don't you."

She bit her lip. "Love is wanting to be with someone. Thinking that person is home and caring about them. Love comes easy around that person. Adrien isn't that." _Not anymore._

Tikki shook her head. "Love is many things. And while it can be that, that's not all it is." Tikki flew down to sit in Marinette's open hands. "First, love isn't a noun. Love is a verb. It's an action. Secondly, love isn't uncontrollable; love is a choice. Lastly, love comes in many forms. There is passionate love, companionate love, familial love, love for a cause, and so on. I dare you to tell me that you have no love, of any sort, for Adrien."

Marinette found she couldn't say a word. Seconds passed in silence as Marinette's eyes fell closed.

"Answer me this," Tikki began, breaking the silence and calling Marinette's attention back. "Is there any part of you that wants to save your marriage? Don't you wish that it could be like it was before?"

Marinette took a steadying breath, shoving away the memories of a secret midnight meetings between partners that shifted into a whirlwind courtship that ended in a stunning wedding and thrilling honeymoon. "Adrien is done," she quietly said. "He doesn't want anything to do with this anymore. He's not going to want to try fixing the box."

Another paused slipped between the two of them. "Marinette," Tikki said. "Would you, as the wielder of creation, be willing to try to fix the box?"

"It's pointless if Adrien doesn't want to."

"No, it's not," Tikki said. "You have no control over what Adrien does, but you have two options. You can either throw out the box, or one of you is going to try to take that first step. In doing the first, it's going to hurt both of you. Badly. No one just walks away from a marriage unaffected. But, if you chose to fix the box, how do you know Adrien won't become interested in fixing the box, too?"

Marinette couldn't know. "One person can't fix a marriage, Tikki."

"No. Marriage is a partnership. It takes two to fix the box completely."

"And Adrien doesn't want to—"

"Now, he may not," Tikki interrupted. "But one of you has to start. If the other won't join you, you can't do anything about it, but you can at least say you didn't give up without fighting for the very thing you swore at the alter in front of several witnesses to protect."

At the sudden memory of saying vows to Adrien in front of all her closest friends and family, Marinette felt her resolve to fight fade. She bit back the tears that threatened to spill over. "But what if I put in all that work for nothing?"

Tikki patted Marinette's hand comfortingly. "You've put in so much work into the box already," she gently said. "And every single relationship has to rebuild that box at least once. It could have just been dinged or it could be smashed, but it still was fixed. It may seem hopeless now, but are you really ready to take the risk of throwing out the box completely without giving it one last chance?"

Again, silence slipped between them, and Marinette's shoulders slowly grew heavy.

"Marinette," Tikki said. "I have a challenge for you. Forty days, that's all. After that, you can decide what you want to do. But for now, I'm asking for forty days."

Six weeks. Just under, actually. Six weeks of… whatever Tikki had in mind. Six weeks to maybe fix the box. She had loved/still did love Adrien. She married him for a reason. She remembered a time when they would sit on the Eiffel Tower and laugh about the day or comfort each other during the rough patches. Giving that up… it wasn't what she'd ever thought she'd do. Nor did it sound completely appealing.

"Forty days," Marinette relented, her heart hurting. "I'm not putting more than forty days into this box. It's…" she stopped herself before she said it wasn't worth it. It may not even be worth one day, but Marinette knew better: Tikki had something planned and she wasn't going to go against Tikki.

Tikki grinned. "It's a start."

* * *

"He's given up, Tikki," Plagg said that night, curled up next to Tikki. "He's shut down and hurting. Kid needs counseling, really, but that's not going to happen right now when all he can think about is how fed up he is with Marinette hurting him."

"It's not all lost," Tikki said with a smile. "Marinette's willing to give it a try."

Plagg's eyes widened.

Tikki nodded excitedly. "There's hope yet. She's tired and hurting and doesn't know if it's worth it, but she's going to give it a shot."

"Let's hope that it works for both of them."

Tikki nodded. "Yes, we can only hope. It's flickering, though. Let's hope the wind doesn't put it out."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: None of the dares are mine and come straight out of "The Love Dare" from the movie Fireproof.

* * *

Day one did not start right away, much to Tikki's dismay. But at the same point, Marinette rushed out of the house first thing in the morning and never talked to Adrien, who was out of the house even before she was.

"Because of that, I'm forcing you to go shopping," Tikki said, plan hatching in her mind.

Marinette frowned. "What for?"

"A cute notebook you'll want to write in."

Marinette cocked her head in confusion.

Grinning, Tikki nodded. "I'm going to make you write all this down and journal it."

"Oh, Tikki!" Marinette whined. "I'm so busy—"

"Nope," Tikki interrupted. "No, no, and no. You only think you're busy, but you're not. Not if you want to fix the box."

It was like watching a petulant child as Marinette crossed her arms and grunted under her breath. "You've been taking sass lessons from Alya, I swear."

"Trixx, but that's not the point."

So, after work, Marinette spent forty-five minutes shopping around to find a cute notebook that she liked. She ate dinner out while she was at it, mumbling about how there wasn't food at home and Adrien probably wouldn't make anything.

Tikki could only frown. She knew Marinette was hurt, and from that hurt spawned everything else. But that would change tomorrow. Tikki would make sure of it.

* * *

 **Day 1**

Marinette sat on the bed with the notebook Tikki had her buy in hand. She'd already written "Day 1" on the page and was waiting for Tikki to give out further instructions.

"Alright, Marinette," Tikki began, floating in front of her. "Day one. Love is patient."

Considering the pause, Marinette assumed Tikki meant for her to write that down. So she did.

Tikki grinned. "Love is communicated in a number of ways…"

Again, she paused, so Marinette wrote that down.

"But our words often reflect the condition of our hearts. So, for the entire day, demonstrate patience with your partner. Do not say anything negative to Adrien, and if you feel the urge to, don't say anything at all."

Marinette paused as she hesitantly looked up at Tikki.

But the kwami just smiled. "Marinette, trust me. You and Adrien have been fighting a lot. Be patient, even if you don't want to be. Better to hold your tongue than say something you regret."

Marinette looked down at the page nervously. But she could do this. One day of it, right?

After getting dressed, she headed into the kitchen. Adrien was already in there, finishing up his breakfast. There was cereal on the table, and she picked up the box.

"It's empty," Adrien said.

Sighing, Marinette tossed the box in the trash and looked in the fridge for something.

"We're out of milk, too."

Biting her tongue against a sharp comeback, Marinette shut the fridge door. "Could you go to the store today?"

"I don't have time. Just like you, I'm busy all day."

 _This is hard_. Marinette sighed. "K," she said, tossing her keys in her purse and marching out the door.

* * *

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Tikki is making me do this. It wasn't my idea to journal at the end of the day and "reflect on my actions." But I don't want to argue with Tikki. She's scary when she's angry._

 _It's the beginning of this forty-day challenge to "fix the box" so to speak. Do I want to save this marriage? Maybe. I don't even know. Adrien hates me. It's irritating dealing with him. I don't need his sass. I didn't even know "we're out of milk" could be as sassy and have as much attitude as he put in it. It's like dealing with Gabriel, but almost more irritating because Gabriel was cold and Adrien_

Marinette sighed, her pen drifting and making a line on the paper.

 _Adrien's Adrien._

 _I don't want to do this with him. I don't. It's frustrating because it's ridiculous and I don't know what I did wrong for him to act like I'm the bad guy._

 _My tongue hurts from biting it all day, but I guess we didn't fight, so that's good?_

 _I'm tired and done with the day. Only 39 more days to go._

* * *

 **Day 2**

"Love is kind," Tikki said. "So, in addition to saying nothing negative today—"

"Wait." Marinette looked up, confused. "I thought the dare was over."

"Oh, Marinette," Tikki said. "The dares build on each other. They aren't _dare_ dares. They're building blocks. You can't just do forty things for forty days then go back to where you were and expect there to be a change."

Marinette sighed, supposing Tikki had a point.

"So, as I was saying," Tikki continued. "In addition to not saying anything negative today, do one act of kindness for Adrien without expecting anything in return."

Marinette sighed, finishing the line then shutting the book. What was she supposed to do?

* * *

If Adrien had to pick a word to describe the day, it would be weird.

It started out weird enough when Marinette took his empty cereal bowl from the table that morning, put it in the dishwasher along with her dishes, and told him to "have a good day" right as she left the house.

Then, he got surprised by the principal of the neighboring school who told him that he knew Adrien was in line to be on the National Fencing team and wanted a sure replacement for him should he get accepted. Apparently, he had taken the liberty of setting about finding a replacement and now had interviews lined up.

There were three people he had to waste the day interviewing, ending each interview with a spar to see if their skills were truly up to par. Three weren't.

And then number four came in.

Firstly, she was the only female of the group, which Adrien noted with some curiosity. But her skills were paralleled by him. He was reluctant to admit she may even be better.

Her demeanor was a little harsh, but it was clear she knew her way around the sabre. And her references were those he could not ignore. The Tsurugi family were known for being incredibly talented fencers.

"When can you start?"

She gave him a slight proud smile. "Tomorrow. I will come first thing in the morning."

* * *

 **Day 3**

"Love is not selfish. Whatever you invest time, money, and effort into will become what is important to you. So along with not saying anything negative, invest into your relationship by getting Adrien something that says, 'I was thinking of you.'"

* * *

"Hi Maman."

"Marinette!" Her maman was quick to wrap Marinette in a hug. "How is everything?"

"Rough," Marinette admitted. "As usual."

Her mother gave her a pitying look. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. All marriages have rough patches, and it's up to the two of you to work it out. And I'm sure Gabriel's passing hasn't been easy on Adrien."

"It's like he's a whole new man," Marinette admitted. "And I don't know what to do."

"Keep working," her maman assured. "No marriage survives if it's not worked on."

 _I got it. And I'm trying._ "I actually stopped by to grab some pastries to take home."

"Adrien will appreciate it, I'm sure," Maman said as she immediately put a box together. "We couldn't keep him out of these when you two first got married."

Marinette smiled. "I know. I was hoping to surprise him when he got home."

"He'll appreciate it," her maman assured, placing a full box in her hands. "And keep working. You and Adrien are a good match."

As much as it hurt her heart, Marinette forced a smile and nodded. "I know. I'll keep it in mind."

* * *

Adrien was tired, to say the least. The day had been extraordinarily long and draining because on top of all his work, he had to train Ms. Tsurugi in, well, everything. She was a quick learner, which made the process easier. Clearly, he'd made a good choice.

"We've met before, actually," Ms. Tsurugi told him when they were heading out for the day. "I applied for this job because I remember fighting you in the youth nationals. You happened to win that time."

Adrien frowned. "When? I'm trying to remember."

"I'd say seven years ago."

Adrien fought to remember. "The girl in the red uniform."

Ms. Tsuguri smiled. "Yes. I remember admiring how talented you were back then. And you still are. You haven't lost your touch."

"And you certainly haven't lost yours," Adrien returned. "You're incredibly skilled."

"Thank you. I work hard to be."

"It shows."

Ms. Tsurugi smiled. "I would enjoy talking more if you have the time."

Adrien paused, debating if he really wanted to go back home at all. In the end, it was his fatigue that won out. "Maybe another time. I'm exhausted from the day. Maybe lunch sometime soon?"

She gave a nod. "Tomorrow, maybe."

"Tomorrow."

And with that, they went their separate ways.

When he got home, Adrien dropped his duffle bag of equipment and headed immediately for the shower, after which he crashed out on the couch and reached for the remote.

The door opened before he could turn on the TV. Meaning Marinette was home.

He sighed, but looked at the clock and startled at the time. "You're home early."

And that's when she set a box down on the coffee table in front of him. "I ran by the bakery today," she said. "I thought I'd bring you home some of your favorites."

Adrien looked at the box and frowned. "I can't eat that."

Her brow furrowed. "Why not?"

He looked at his wife and couldn't suppress his smirk. It hurt, bitterly, that she didn't remember. Even the sudden sweetness of whatever she was doing didn't hide the fact she still didn't know anything about him and didn't care. "I'm on a diet."

"What for? You're fine."

Fine. Not good looking or handsome or anything else she used to say to him. No, he was "fine." "I'm being considered for the National Fencing team, don't you remember?"

Her eyes widening was all he needed to confirm that no, she didn't remember. "You never told me."

He scoffed. "Of course, I did. You just weren't listening."

Marinette's mouth opened but snapped shut just as quickly. Her eyes closed and head turned away, she took a breath before leaning down to scoop the pastries off the table. "I'm sorry," was all she said as she walked off.

* * *

"He's really hurting, Tikki."

"I know," Tikki said, leaning against Plagg's side. "Marinette is, too. After today, I think she's reluctant to keep on trying."

"She's doing it, though."

"I'm kinda forcing her."

"Sometimes, it takes a shove."

"As much as I don't like it," Tikki admitted.

"You're doing it out of love."

"I'm doing it for them. They didn't deserve to suffer like they did learning Gabriel was Hawkmoth."

Plagg grunted. "If he wasn't already dead, I'd kill him. He damaged my kitten."

Tikki reached out to place her paws over Plagg's. "I know. I don't like what he did to Marinette, either, even if it was only half as much as what he did to Adrien."

"It worries me just what this boy will do now that he feels he can't trust anyone," Plagg said. "I don't want my kitten to ruin his life like this."

"I know," Tikki assured. "We just have to keep hoping they hold on."

* * *

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Adrien hates me. All he wants to do is pick fights and it hurts because I didn't do anything wrong. I try to do one thing nice for him and suddenly I'm the bad guy for trying to ruin the diet I didn't even know he had because he won't tell me anything._

Marinette took a moment to shove the pain au chocolate she was having for dinner in her mouth.

 _How was I supposed to know he was in line for the National Fencing team? He never told me. He can't get mad at me. And then he was all adamant that he told me and was_ _looking_ _for a fight and what am I supposed to do? Just stand there and take it. I hate it. I hate all this. It's not going to work. Watch. I'm just so done and I'm not even home with him more than a few hours. And forget working from home. That's not an option anymore. I miss the days that I could work from home and not have to deal with any of this stress. It hurts and I hate it. I'm done. He's done._

 _Let me out._


	4. Chapter 4

"Love is thoughtful," Tikki instructed. Marinette had refused to listen to Tikki first thing that morning, meaning now they were at her office doing the dare of the day. However, Tikki found it perfectly ironic that this dare required distance. "Today, give Adrien a call just to ask how he's doing and ask if there is anything you could do for him."

At the glare she received, Tikki withheld her urge to giggle. It was perfectly clear by the look on Marinette's face that she was not amused by todays dare. That was fine, though. Tikki sure was.

* * *

It was around lunchtime, right before Adrien was going to head out to lunch with Ms. Tsurugi, that his phone buzzed, but to see Marinette's number was a surprise.

"Hello?"

"Hey," Marinette said. "I… I didn't see you head out this morning so I just wanted to call and check in on you."

Adrien bristled. She wanted to check in on him? Like his father would "check in on him"? "Why? Concerned about me?"

"Can't a wife check in on her husband?" she asked innocently.

Adrien paused at that, biting back his "not without wanting something" comment. She was being nice—seemingly—so he would be nice in return until he figured out what the heck was going on.

"I just called to see if you wanted anything," she said.

Adrien's brow furrowed so deep it was going to leave him with wrinkles. "Like?"

There was a pause. "I don't know. Groceries or something I can pick up for dinner?"

Again, he was speechless, unsure of what to make of it. "No, not particularly."

"Nothing?"

"No."

She paused again. "Okay," she said, her tone uncertain. "I'll see you at home, then."

"See you are home," he said automatically.

That was the end of the conversation.

Adrien would be lying if he said he didn't give his phone a quizzical look as he put it away from him.

"Who was that?" Plagg asked, popping out of his hiding spot in the desk.

"Marinette," Adrien said.

"Oh. She want anything?"

"She asked me if I needed anything. Which is ridiculous because we both know that I'll be the one grocery shopping tomorrow."

"How do you know?"

"Come on, Plagg," Adrien snipped. "When was the last time she went grocery shopping?"

"Last month."

"Case and point."

"Not really."

A knock sounded at the door, meaning Plagg quickly hid in Adrien's bag.

"Hold on, I'm coming," Adrien called out as he grabbed his bag. He slung it over his shoulder before answering the door of his office. "Okay," he said, greeting Ms. Tsurgui with a smile. "Where too?"

* * *

"I haven't been here before," Adrien said, sitting down at the table in the small restaurant.

"It's new, but I've heard that the food here is exemplary," Ms. Tsurgui assured.

Adrien only nodded before looking the menu over.

"How long have you been teaching fencing?"

"Just a little under a year," Adrien answered. "Mr. D'argencourt was the original owner of the academy, but he wanted to retire so I took over for him. Fitting since he always called me one of his best students."

"I could agree with that. Your skills are quite impressive."

"Thank you," Adrien said, choosing a meal then setting his menu down as a signal to a waiter. "Yours are as well."

"As they should be. I've been training all my life."

Adrien gave a half smile. "It shows."

She set her own menu down before giving him a smile. "Thank you."

The waiter was over promptly, and they placed their orders.

"I hear you are being considered for the national team," she commented once the waiter left.

"I am," Adrien said, smiling in earnest now.

"Tryouts are coming up, aren't they?"

"Yes, next couple weeks," Adrien confirmed. "I'm surprised you aren't being considered."

"I was on the national Japanese team before I tore a ligament in my knee. The doctor warned me to take a year to recover unless I want to risk permanent damage. As much as it pains me to not be a competitor this year, it would hurt worse to never fence again. It's my life."

"I can understand that."

Ms. Tsurgui smiled. "I'm sure. That is the target I want most in life. To fence. Preferably at the world class scale. What is your target, if I may ask?"

Adrien's smile became forced. "I don't know," he said. "I… I thought I wanted one thing out of life, but then you look at the result that path led you to and you wander if it's worth it."

"There's a very simple solution for that," she informed. "If something in your life is not worth fighting for, you need to let it go. You must pick and choose your battles carefully. If you find that you've fought all the ways you can but nothing you do leads you to your target, you must be willing to adapt."

Adrien paused to think about her words.

"Let me offer a piece of advice," she continued, "life is a little like fencing. Hesitation can be dangerous. You must not be afraid to take the initiative. However, if you cannot strike the target you've chosen, something must change in order for you to be successful. Learn to adapt. Do not hesitate. And if need be, change your target."

Adrien swallowed, letting those words sink in. "That's good advice," he said. "Probably necessary in this case."

She smiled. She had a nice smile. "Sometimes, you just need someone to listen. A fresh perspective on a problem can be very helpful."

He couldn't deny that. So he smiled and thanked her just as lunch was served to them.

* * *

 **Day 7**

One week. One week in and Marinette wasn't seeing any changes.

Actually, she had. Adrien was beginning to side-eye her as though she was committing some horrible sin behind his back. He had grown even more shut off, if that was possible, and it made yesterday's "Love is not irritable" dare incredibly hard.

Today found her sitting in front of her journal again, pen in hand.

"Love believes the best," Tikki had said. "Today, take two sheets of paper and write out a list of positive things about Adrien on one sheet and negative things on the next. Then pick one of the positive things and give Adrien a compliment today based on that thing you chose."

So here she was, wanting to rip her hair out as she spewed a very long list of negatives and had only half as many positives despite working on it twice as long.

A knock on her door startled her. The next thing she knew, a chocolate hand with two bags of food appeared.

Marinette quickly hid her notebook and called for Alya to come inside.

"Food," Alya said with a grin as she shut the door behind her, "has arrived."

"Thank you. You are amazing."

"Mm-hmm." Alya dropped a bag in front of Marinette, who immediately began digging in.

"So, how's Adrien?"

And that's when Marinette's nerves stood up on end. "You know…" she said with a shrug. "Adrien's Adrien."

"Which has been your answer for the past six months."

"What am I supposed to say, Alya?" Marinette challenged, tossing her hands in the air. "He's stubborn as ever and I'm getting no where and all he wants to do is be mad at me."

"Are you actually going to go through with divorcing him?"

"If that's what he wants, I so be it. I don't have a choice."

"She does have a choice," Tikki said, popping up into view. "Hi, Alya."

"Hey, Tikki," she greeted with a smile. "What's Marinette's choice."

"I'm proud of her for even attempting it," Tikki said before opening the drawer Marinette had shoved the notebook in.

"Tikki!" _You little traitor!_

"Marinette, you need support and encouragement," Tikki quickly argued. "I can only do so much, but your friend who you trust is here and wants to be here for you while you go through with this. Only you and Adrien have the ability fix your marriage, but getting support from your friends can make a world of difference."

"Yeah, girl," Alya assured, reaching over the table to grab Marinette's hands. "We're here for you."

Marinette gave Alya a flat look. "The only reason you're holding my hands right now is to prevent me from stopping Tikki."

Alya's grin was as fox-like as could be. "You know it."

With that, Tikki tugged the book from the drawer and dropped it in front of Alya. "We kwamis call it 'The Love Dare.' Trixx knows about it."

"Yup," The little fox kwami confirmed, appearing out of Alya's purse. "And it works most of the time, too. Being married to a wielder can be really hard, so if we can help the marriage when it's rocky, we do."

"Marriage in general is hard," Tikki said. "Being a wielder only adds an extra difficulty."

Trixx nodded sagely in agreement.

Alya took a moment to read the journal while Marinette sat resigned in her chair.

"This is good stuff," Alya commented, handing the journal back.

"I guess," Marinette relented, snatching the journal back and dumping it in the drawer. "But Adrien's not responding to it."

"Give it time," Tikki said. "You and Adrien are going through a really rough patch right now. He needs time to respond. A week isn't going to cut it."

"Tikki's right," Alya agreed. "I never thought I would see the day you and Adrien were so separated from each other. You two… you were my _ship_. You two were relationship goals. I thought that if anyone would make it, it would be you two. You were perfect for each other."

"Are," Tikki corrected. "They still are, no matter what you or Adrien think, Marinette."

With a sigh and a pout, Marinette crossed her arms and sank into her chair.

"And I know you know it," Tikki said, coming to rest on Marinette's knee. "Otherwise you wouldn't be doing this."

Marinette swallowed her emotions. As usual, Tikki was spot on, no pun intended.

Pun…

Her heart softened suddenly at the thought. She bit her lip recalling Adrien's love of puns. She hadn't heard him say one in months. Twelve of them, to be precise. Not since before Hawkmoth was revealed.

She missed it.

"Oh, girl." In a heartbeat, Alya was by Marinette's side.

And that's when a tear slipped out. "I just want things to go back to normal."

"They can," Tikki assured, patting her charges knee. "They can, but you have to put your all into this. No more being angry at me thinking that you have to prove me wrong at the end of this dare."

Marinette sniffed, a tear rolling down her cheek. She was quick to wipe it away. "Okay."

* * *

"Marinette's all in," Tikki excitedly shared with Plagg that night. "Well, almost. She's starting to get it."

"Good, because Adrien's two steps away from getting a bat over his head."

"Why?"

"The new fencing teacher is giving shit advice."

"Language," Tikki chastised.

"She has no business sticking her nose into Adrien's love life. She barely even knows him. And worse yet, I'm scared he's going to listen to her."

"Plagg, you must try to talk sense into him."

"Now's not the time, Tikki," he said. "I know my kitten, and I know when he's not going to listen."

Tiny shoulders suddenly feeling heavy, Tikki frowned. "Then let's hope he becomes more open soon."


	5. Chapter 5

**Day 8**

Marinette rarely liked ripping pages out of notebooks, much preferring to keep everything together, but as she completed part of today's dare, she couldn't care less. She didn't even rip it cleanly, preferring to leave a jagged edge where she ripped out the page as a reminder of what exactly she ripped out.

She lit a candle then held the page that read "Adrien's Negative Attributes" over the flame. Fire licked the edge of the pink paper, catching hold of it before quickly eating it away. She had to be careful so as not to burn herself, but soon enough, the paper was nothing but ashes she swept up with her hand and tossed away.

She headed into the kitchen, hoping that she would see Adrien when he headed out.

Luckily, she did.

"Aren't your tryouts for the National team today?"

Adrien paused before he could take another step. "Uh… yeah," he said, his tone thankfully free of sass.

"Good luck today."

Adrien stared at her skeptically. "Thank you."

She gave him a smile that was mostly true. Facing him was hard, but like Tikki said, this wasn't going to work if she didn't put in the effort.

Adrien turned to leave after that, leaving Marinette alone in the kitchen. Her expression fell as she went back to finishing making her breakfast.

* * *

"If they don't give you the spot on the team, Adrien," Plagg commented when they were driving home, "they're terrible judges of fencing."

"What's going on with Marinette?"

Plagg hid his surprise with an impassive, "What do you mean?"

"She's being nice."

"She's your wife."

"She said she was done, and now she's all sweet-talking me? Telling me 'good luck' for tryouts she didn't even know about in the first place."

Plagg bristled at Adrien's tone. Apparently, it was too much to ask for him to take her kindness at face-value. "Maybe she realized it was a mistake to say that and is sorry about it."

"Then why didn't she just apologize?"

 _Kwamis have mercy, Plagg was going to beat Adrien over the head._ "Would you have accepted it?"

That got Adrien to freeze.

"Maybe it wouldn't kill you to be nice in return instead of being all testy over her wishing you luck."

Adrien grunted, but Plagg knew he wasn't convinced. There was a long road ahead of Adrien, but the fact he had listened to Plagg at all was a start.

* * *

 **Day 9**

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Today's dare should have been simple. How hard could it be to tell Adrien "welcome home. I hope you had a good day."_

 _The saying was easy. Keeping a smile was hard, especially when he looks at me like skeptically like that. It hurts because there's no breaking through this. He's set on thinking I'm the bad guy for some reason and I don't know why. What did I do that's so wrong? That I'm working to keep his father's company alive? That I've tried to talk to him but he never wants to open up. I'm not in the wrong here and I don't understand why I'm the one even caring about fixing this marriage when he's refusing to look at himself and think that maybe possibly he's the one in the wrong._

 _I'm just so tired and I fear for tomorrow._

 _Wish me luck._

* * *

 **Day 10**

"Something's wrong," Kagami observed. "You've been very quiet. I know we haven't known each other long, but you do not strike me as the kind of person who is quiet and reserved all the time."

Adrien sighed. He and Kagami had gotten close surprisingly quickly. She was sharp, observant, and always willing to listen. "Let's just say I'm going through some relationship troubles."

"Ahh," she said, her tone even. "Is it a trouble that will pass, or is it a long-standing issue?"

"Long-standing," Adrien admitted.

"Then the problem needs to be addressed, and if it cannot be addressed yet is causing you stress, the only solution is to cut off the relationship."

Adrien looked at her, his eyes wide.

Kagami nodded. "You cannot let a bad relationship keep you locked into a bad position. That's setting you up for failure. You must cut off anyone toxic before it kills you."

Her words struck a chord in Adrien. But somehow, they didn't feel right. Marinette, toxic? Things with her were tense, yes. Unfixable, maybe. Toxic…

He supposed his father was, and Marinette was acting like his father.

"You don't believe her, do you?" Plagg asked once Kagami had left.

"I don't know. Maybe."

Plagg gave him a flat look. "Kid, I get what she's saying, and it's good advice, but do you really think that that advice pertains to your relationship with Marinette?"

That was all Adrien could think about the rest of the day.

* * *

Marinette was tired. Really tired. The day had been long and crappy.

But she had to do todays dare.

"Love is unconditional," she whispered to herself. "So I have to prove it somehow."

That "somehow" ended up being going grocery shopping so he didn't have to. And maybe a dark chocolate bar that he happened to like ended up in her cart. Dark chocolate was healthy. And she knew Adrien: if he was presented with a treat that he could justify in his diet, he'd take it.

She just finished putting the last of the groceries away when Adrien got home, take-out bag in hand. When he looked up and saw her, he froze.

She smiled like the smell of his dinner wasn't making her jealous. Like it didn't hurt that he very likely didn't get her anything or even think to ask. "Hey," she said. "And here I was just about to get started on dinner."

Adrien looked away from her at the bag. "We didn't have anything in the house."

"I went grocery shopping."

His full attention snapped back to her.

She shrugged. "I guess I'll just make myself something," she said, trying to find the quickest out in this conversation that she could. "Enjoy your meal." It was said without animosity, or at least she hoped so. Behind the refrigerator door, she bit her lip to stop the myriad of emotions bubbling up.

She heard him turn and march off. Probably to the master bedroom.

No longer hungry, Marinette headed back to her room, shutting the door before pulling out her diary.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Day 10 was a bust. As all the other days have been. It hurt that he brought home food for himself today after yelling at me last week about his diet. Honestly, it feels like he said that just so that he could spite me that day I brought home pastries for him. He's not responding to anything. It's like he really doesn't care._

 _I know I said I wanted to continue, but a couple days in and it's hard again for a whole other reason. This HURTS. If he's not going to respond, then what's the point._

* * *

"There's a girl Adrien works with," Plagg said. "And I don't like her."

"You've mentioned that."

"She point blank told Adrien to end the relationship with Marinette."

"What!"

"Shhhh!" Plagg grabbed Tikki and yanked her back down to their hiding spot in the kitchen. "Don't be so loud or Adrien's going to catch on that I'm talking to you."

"You're telling me there is a girl trying to convince Adrien to go through with divorce and you expect me to keep it down?" Tikki challenged.

"I'm trying to stop him from listening to her," Plagg said. "But the problem is that she's filling in for what Marinette isn't doing. Rather, what that idiot thinks she isn't doing."

"Ohhhhh," Tikki growled, her little clenched paws shaking. "I can't believe that woman."

"I'm doing all I can, Tikki, but Marinette has to step up and be here more so that maybe I can get it through his thick head that Marinette isn't the bad guy here."

"Don't blame my chosen like yours is perfect."

The silence that followed was an uncomfortable one.

"I'm sorry, Tikki," Plagg said, his ears falling. "I'm just worried for my chosen. He's not listening to sense."

"I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have snapped," Tikki said. "They're both equally hurt and I don't know what it's going to take for each to realize they aren't the only one suffering. I'm trying to hold out hope, but Marinette is fading quickly again and she's only a quarter of the way through."

With a sigh, Plagg grabbed Tikki's paws. "There's still time. We just keep working. We have to. These two cannot give up on each other yet."


	6. Chapter 6

**Day 11**

"Love cherishes. Today, find a need of Adrien's you could meet."

"So, like yesterday?" Marinette asked.

"Yes, but a more targeted approach. Think of something Adrien needs today and help him meet that need."

With a sigh, Marinette finished writing that down in her journal and closed it. She finished getting ready for the day, then set about trying to find something she could do to complete today's dare.

* * *

When Adrien got into his office, there was a card waiting for him. He set his bag down and looked at it curiously.

 _Adrien,_

 _I hope the call confirming your admission onto the national team comes soon._

 _Furthermore, I hope your relationship struggles soon find an end. I can tell there are days that affect you worse than others. No one deserves for their relationship to have that negative of an effect on them._

 _Best of luck, for everything._

 _Kagami Tsurugi_

He grinned at the warmth that blossomed in his chest at that.

Plagg came to hover over his shoulder. As much as the kwami wanted to smack Adrien upside the head for regarding the card fondly, he knew he couldn't. His chosen was currently off to a good start for the day, and he couldn't ruin it this early on, no matter how much he wanted to cataclysm that note.

* * *

Adrien got home that day to a made bed and piles of clean laundry at the foot of it.

"She did laundry, today," Plagg observed from over his shoulder.

"Yeah," Adrien said absently. Marinette did laundry? Even though she was gone all day? She wasn't currently home, nor had she been home when he left for work that morning.

How'd the laundry get done?

"That was kind of her," Plagg continued.

Adrien shrugged, unable to do much more.

"Maybe it would be kind to thank her."

Adrien turned to Plagg with a glare. "What are you getting at?"

Plagg glared back. "Maybe it wouldn't kill you to be kind to your wife when she's been kind to you the last several days."

The stare-down continued until Adrien turned away with a grunt. "Fine. I suppose."

"You make it sound like it's going to be torture to do so."

"This is weird, Plagg," Adrien said. " _She's_ been weird. Why, all of a sudden, does she just decide to start this?"

"She is your _wife_ ," Plagg countered. "Does she _need_ a reason?"

Adrien pouted. Yes, she was his wife. Under normal circumstances, no, she wouldn't need a reason to be nice. But… "Do you think she's trying to get something out of me?"

Plagg looked utterly exasperated at the prospect. "Kid, I want you to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you really think that Marinette, the girl you've known for over a decade, would be trying to get something out of you."

Adrien took a deep breath as he mulled it over. Part of him wanted to say no, that he knew Marinette and that wasn't like her. However, another part of him reminded of how much she'd become like his father, and his father always had a reason for being nice. "I don't know what to think, Plagg."

And before his kwami could answer, Adrien headed into the shower.

* * *

 **Day 13**

"Love fights fair," Marinette mumbled as she wrote down a list of rules she had been dared to abide by the next time she and Adrien got into a fight. Which hadn't been happening lately since Adrien had let go of being mean and was now just avoiding her like the plague. Honestly, it hurt more than she expected it to.

A lot more.

"At least we aren't fighting," Marinette tried to tell herself.

Tikki smiled and nodded reassuringly. "That's a good start. Maybe things will start simmering down between you two so you can actually talk."

"Would be nice." So would a 'thank you', but Marinette wasn't holding her breath on that.

"Be patient, Marinette," Tikki encouraged. "Rebuilding your marriage is going to take time. You're barely a third of the way through."

"I know," Marinette sighed. "I'm just… it's hard when I'm not getting anything back from Adrien."

"But you are," Tikki said. "Haven't you noticed that you two can be in the same room together now? Or that your conversations no longer hold fights?"

Marinette paused in thought. "I guess."

"Just because it's not the progress you want to see doesn't mean it's not progress. By you stepping up to take the animosity out of the box, he's done the same."

Skeptically, Marinette pursed her lips and shrugged. "If you say so, Tikki."

"Don't worry," Tikki assured, resting her paws on Marinette's hand and shooting her a reassuring smile. "Adrien will come around. Just keep pressing forward and continue to give your all into these four weeks, okay?"

While she could feel the hint of bitterness in it, Marinette smiled. "Okay, Tikki."

* * *

 **Day 15**

When Adrien got the call, he was ecstatic.

"I made the team."

Plagg was in his hair in a second. "Told you so," he said while patting Adrien's head. "There's no way you wouldn't have."

"There were a lot of talented people there," Adrien commented.

"Yeah, but none of them were _you._ "

His heart feeling light for the first time in a long time, Adrien reached up to scratch his kwami's ears. "Thanks for believing in me, Plagg."

"I mean, you're my chosen. I'm bound by contract to."

"Sure," Adrien smirked. "I know just how much you mean that."

Kagami was the second one to congratulate him that day. "I knew you would. You're extremely talented."

"One of many talented people there."

"Yes, but none of them are my friend." While not usually one to initiate touch, Kagami reached out to place a hand on his shoulder. "Congratulations."

Adrien grinned at her, his heart warm. "Thank you, Kagami. I appreciate it."

"Does anyone else know?"

"You're the first," Adrien answered, not counting Plagg. "I only just found out."

"Then I am honored," she said with a smile and slight bow. "We should go out to celebrate this occasion."

"Lunch, then," Adrien suggested. "I'd enjoy that."

* * *

He got home at his regular time, surprised to see that Marinette was already there making dinner.

"Oh," she said, turning to see him. "You're home."

"Yeah," he answered hoping to cover his surprise. "So are you."

She nodded. "Yeah, I… finished everything that needed to get done."

"You always find stuff to do," Adrien pointed out.

Instantly, she grew shy, looking down at the floor and biting her lip. "Well, not today," she finally responded.

Adrien's eyes narrowed on their own accord. He bit back his skepticism and decided he'd try to be nice.

"Did you have a good day?" she asked, stirring something on the stove.

"Uh, yeah," Adrien said. "I… uh… got a call confirming I made the national team."

Her gaze flipped back to him, blue eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar. "You made the team?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

Slowly, a smile grew across her face. He returned it, even though he felt uncomfortable doing so. In a flash, she rounded the counter to wrap her arms around him.

To say he was stunned was an understatement. They hadn't had physical affection between them for…

He didn't know.

The hug only lasted a second before she quickly stepped back, but her smile never faded.

His heart was two steps from beating out of his chest and he felt positively _warm_ under her grin.

"Congratulations, kitty. You deserve it."

 _Kitty._ His heart skipped a beat and his stomach twisted into a knot. When was the last time she called him _kitty?_ He didn't know how much he missed that until the pain in his heart reminded him. "Thanks."

She smiled, then spun around to head back behind the counter so as to finish dinner.

And even though they didn't talk much and Adrien felt it was nothing short of awkward, they sat down to eat dinner together for the first time in a long time.

* * *

"Plagg, this is good. This is really good!" Tikki squeaked that night.

Plagg could only grin. "You mean that they didn't talk during dinner then went to separate rooms that night?" he smartly retorted.

With a half-hearted glare, she smacked him in the shoulder. "You know what I'm talking about," she chastised.

He chuckled, snuggling up next to her. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. Let's hope it stays that way."


	7. Chapter 7

**Day 16**

"So, that was nice of Marinette last night," Plagg began, lazing on Adrien's shoulder while he worked.

Adrien couldn't deny it.

"Maybe it would be kind to thank her for it."

"But it's weird."

"Kid," Plagg grumbled exasperated. "We have gone over and over and _over_ this."

"I'm sorry," Adrien cried. "I just… we agreed to just be done with it. Suddenly, she's being super nice and doing housework and making food and-and-and calling in the middle of the day for no reason. Something's up, Plagg."

Before Plagg could answer, a knock on the office door had him diving for cover.

Adrien waited until Plagg was hidden in the drawer before calling Kagami in.

"Was I interrupting something?" she asked, entering the office. "It sounded like you were talking to someone."

"Oh," Adrien said, his heart racing as he struggled for an answer. "Sorry, I was… working through something aloud."

She looked at him knowingly. Which was terrifying considering how long he'd known her. "Relationship trouble?"

Adrien sighed. She was sharp. He couldn't hide anything form her. "Yes."

"Then leave the relationship," she urged. "Honestly, if it's going to be this bad, it's not worth staying in."

Adrien bit his lip. Something in his gut told him that wasn't right, but he was also so confused over the whole thing.

"I should know," she continued. "I was arranged to be married to a man back in Japan."

"Really?" Adrien asked, surprised.

She nodded. "It was not a good relationship that, thankfully, my family called off so I would not cause shame to my family by leaving the man. Prior to my parents' intervention, when he suspected that I was going to leave him, he started acting kindly to me. I only have a couple speculations, one being that he didn't want me to leave him because he thought I was fully caught in the palm of his hand, and when I threatened to leave, he didn't like losing the one thing he thought he had control over. My other speculation was he wanted to gain the money my parents would give him after our union, so by being nice, he believed he could convince me and my family that he was a good match and that he truly did love me. Either way, his motives were dangerous. Be careful Adrien. You're a good man. I don't know what you're going through, but I urge you to be careful and think this through thoroughly."

Adrien paused. "I… I didn't know you had to face something like that."

Kagami nodded. "It was not for me easy in any way. I don't want you to suffer anything like that. I'm here for you, if you need anything."

"I appreciate it," Adrien said.

Throughout the day, her words kept coming back to him. He'd had his speculations, but hearing it come from yet another person…

"Adrien, you're not really going to listen to that, are you?" Plagg challenged again on the drive home.

"You have to admit, Plagg, that this has been strange. It's riding on the heels of us…" the words caught in his throat. He couldn't say it, and if he thought about it, he'd start crying. As it were, all he could do was swallow, take a breath, and shove it down. He had to think rationally. No soft, fuzzy emotions coming up to make him question everything and risk putting himself out there to another copy of his father.

"You don't want to do that," Plagg said, concern clear in his tone.

"What if she goes back to acting like my father?"

"Then that's where you come in," Plagg said. "You are an equal part of this marriage, and nothing is going to change if you don't do something about it."

"I can't change her, Plagg. That's not how marriage works."

"You're right. You can't force her to change. But you haven't exactly been Mr. Model Husband to her, just as she hasn't been Mrs. Model Wife to you."

"Meaning what's the point of staying?"

"You don't think you can fix it?" Now, _that_ was spoken as a challenge.

"You can't fix your spouse."

"You can talk to them about it, though," Plagg pointed out. "Like a normal human being."

"She's not going to want to listen."

"And how do you know?"

Adrien was silent.

"She's not your father, Adrien. Don't rope her in the same category."

But when Adrien got home, she wasn't there. And she wouldn't return until eight that evening.

"Not my father, my ass," Adrien grumbled. "I'm not going to compete with her job, Plagg. I can't."

"It will be worth it."

"I'm not saying it wouldn't be worth it, Plagg," Adrien countered, his tone completely dejected and eyes hot with unshed tears. "I'm just saying there's no competition in the first place. Apparently, _I'm_ not worth it."

* * *

"Your bug messed up big time," Plagg hissed at Tikki. "My kitten was this close— _this close—_ to thinking maybe what I was saying about restoring his marriage was valid. And then she didn't come home until late, and now he's pouty because he feels she's prioritizing work over him."

"I tried!" Tikki defended. "But it was just 'one more thing' 'one more thing' until four hours later she was looking at the clock and realized maybe she should get home."

Plagg sank to the counter with a heavy sigh. "We were so close, Tikki," he repeated. "So close."

"I know," Tikki assured, sinking down beside him. "I did all I could, but Marinette wasn't listening. I don't know what it will take to get through her head that she's clinging to the reins of a company that's fine. That she needs help because she's letting this company consume her."

The kwamis were silent for a while before Plagg placed a paw over Tikki's. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to get testy with you. It's not your fault. I know you're doing everything you can."

She snuggled up closer to him as a response. "And I'll keep that up, Plagg. It's not over yet. Maybe this whole situation can be redeemed. Day eighteen is coming up. We'll see what happens then."

"I hope for their sakes that it's just what they need to start flipping this around."

* * *

 **Day 18**

"Love seeks to understand," Tikki began. "Today, prepare a dinner for you and Adrien. Like, a _nice_ one, okay? Make it a surprise date and treat it like one. Use that time to get to know Adrien better and just enjoy the evening with him."

"But I know Adrien."

Tikki gave Marinette a small smile. "When was the last time you two sat down and had a conversation. About anything. Besides," Tikki quickly interjected, "that little conversation you two had a couple days ago when you congratulated Adrien on his spot at nationals."

After a few seconds, Marinette found herself ashamed that she couldn't answer that.

"So, prepare dinner for the night. Go all out, and surprise him."

Slowly shutting the journal, Marinette gave a nod. "Okay."

* * *

It was about the time Adrien was supposed to get home that Marinette lit all the candles she'd set up at the dinner table. She'd finished dinner; it was sitting warm on the stove. She'd even dressed up in a simple red dress and did her hair and make-up to compliment it.

When was the last time she'd done that?

When she heard the clack of the door unlocking, she stood with a smile. She watched Adrien enter, kick off his shoes, then look up and freeze when he locked eyes with her.

She smiled. "Welcome home. I made dinner."

He stared at her a moment, his brow furrowed in confusion before quickly hurrying off into the master bedroom.

To say she was shocked was an understatement. But there was a thunk off somewhere in the house, and when he returned, he was no longer carrying his sports bag. Meaning that he was standing there with his hands on his hips glowering at her. "Just what are you trying to pull?"

Words lodged in her throat as she tried to answer. "Wha-what are you talking about?"

"This!" he said, gesturing to the kitchen and dining room. "This! And the days before and you getting groceries and doing laundry and all the other things and what are you trying to pull?"

Again, she struggled for words. "I'm not pulling anything."

"Really?" he challenged. Her heart sank and gut twisted. "Because I find it oddly coincidental that all this started after we agreed this," he pointed to the two of them, "was done."

"I never agreed to that, Adrien," she countered, trying to keep the anger out of her tone. "Otherwise, why would I have done any of this? What do you think I've been trying to do these last two weeks if not try to salvage our marriage?"

"Salvage our marriage?" The growly undertone was unexpected and hurt more than she ever could have guessed. "Really?"

"Yes!"

"Even when you're not here?"

"What do you mean? Of course, I'm here."

"No, you're not!" he shouted. Unconsciously, she took a step back. "Do you know how many nights that you've been here out of the last several weeks? Not many. You know how often you're here in the mornings? Not often. You're _always_ at the office. Heck, the day I came home to all the laundry done and you _still_ weren't here. You never are and all this just feels like a bribe to make up for the fact I never see you."

The world had faded away as Marinette stood frozen at her husband's words. Even he seemed shocked at them.

But it didn't stop him. "And I am not going to just sit around and let you bribe me into staying when it's clear you don't care."

"I do care."

"No you don't!" Adrien shouted. "Or you would be here." He took a breath, and when he spoke again, he didn't shout. "I'm done with having people in my life that buy their way into keeping me. I'd understand if there was an emergency that needed to be handled, but I will not sit on the backburner to someone else's career. I'm _done_ with that, Marinette. And I can't keep doing that, so don't ask that of me."

With her heart beating overtime, her breath came in quick pants as he began to walk away. "Adrien," she shouted, hoping beyond home he would stay. "I'm sorry, but I'm trying to keep a company afloat."

He looked at her and snorted. "Company's fine," he snipped, his smile bitter. "And you know it. Would be even better if you had an assistant or two instead of doing everything yourself. But I know you. You're so much like my father: you have to be in control. You have to fix everything. The company takes precedence. And I will not be second to that damn company anymore."

Five seconds later, the master bedroom door slammed shut, leaving Marinette standing in the kitchen. The world still hadn't come back into focus as she stood there, empty and hopeless and exhausted.

Next thing she knew, the tears were bubbling up. She ran to her hiding spot in her bedroom, slamming her own door shut a second before the floodgates opened and she fell to the ground sobbing.

* * *

Tikki blew out the last candle while Plagg turned on the warmer setting on the stove and put lids over the food Marinette had prepared.

"Well, that could have gone better," Plagg grumbled.

"It also could have gone worse," Tikki said. "It wasn't really an argument despite it being heated."

Plagg shrugged. "If you say so."

"Adrien just point blank told Marinette why he doesn't want to stay in this marriage. And she does have the ability to fix it. She's been so focused on the company and all the business aspects of it and making sure it's perfect that she's lost herself in the process."

"Do you really think she'll be open to hearing that?"

Tikki sighed, then floated over to his side. "Actually, Plagg, I think it's long overdue. And with Adrien telling her that now, I can try to soften that blow he gave so harshly, even though it's the truth."

The two kwamis were quiet for a moment before Plagg sighed. "You're right," Plagg agreed. "Likewise, there's a long overdue talk I should have with Adrien, and I think that on the heels of tonight, he needs to hear it whether he likes it or not."

"Looks like we both have our work cut out for us," Tikki sighed. "But right now, help me dish up dinner for them before we spend the night cleaning up."


	8. Chapter 8

**Day 19**

Marinette woke up feeling terrible. She was exhausted and felt sick to her stomach. Adrien was angry. Angry with her. And that hurt more than she could have ever realized.

"Marinette," Tikki said, coming to rest on her shoulder.

"What is it, Tikki?" Marinette asked in a hoarse whisper.

"I think you should call out today."

"I can't," Marinette argued. "I run the business. I have to be there."

"Marinette," Tikki said, her voice kind yet firm. "You have been working yourself into the ground lately. Seven days a week, you're gone and you haven't had a vacation in a long time."

"Because they need me."

Tikki floated down in front of Marinette's face. "No, they don't," Tikki said. "Not today."

"I don't have a choice, Tikki."

"Yes, you do," Tikki said. "You have worked so hard this last year trying to keep the company afloat. It may not be as strong as it was before, but you are running it well. People want to see what sort of designs come from Marinette. And Alya was an incredible help when it came to managing all the public relations stuff. Now, your company is thriving, but you're working hours upon hours a day micromanaging everything."

"What am I supposed to do, Tikki?" Marinette argued. "Everything is still so fragile."

"Not as fragile as you think."

The two were silent for a moment.

"So, you're saying I should call off today?

Tikki nodded. "You should. For your sake and sanity."

"Who do I get to cover?"

"No one," Tikki said. "If you need to, you can text the designers to ask if they need anything, but they're in the middle of designing the new line. The manager of the photoshoots has everything covered already, and you're just waiting for that day to arrive. The investors can wait another day if they have an issue, which they shouldn't considering the company is finally on a solid upswing. There is _nothing_ you need to handle today, Marinette. It's all in your head."

Marinette was silent for a long minute. "Do you think I'm a workaholic, Tikki?" she asked. "Am I really like Gabriel?"

The smile Tikki gave her confirmed everything. "Honestly, Marinette, kind of. In that matter only. You _have_ let work consume you. I didn't like watching you go down that path. It was really sad, but you weren't ready to listen to me. And I know you well enough to know that if you don't want to listen, you aren't going to listen."

The tears were pressing against her eyes. All Marinette needed was the final straw to break those dams open.

"I know that Hawkmoth's defeat was hard," Tikki said. "I know it took its toll on you and Adrien watching the man you called family destroy the city. I know that both of you found coping mechanisms to deal with the pain."

Marinette bit her quivering lip.

"I'm not agreeing with the way Adrien spoke to you last night," Tikki continued. "But he's hurting, too. Plagg and I have watched both you and Adrien cope in unhealthy ways that led your marriage to where it is now. And neither of you were ready to face that fact."

Just like that, the dams burst. Marinette spent the next five minutes sobbing into her pillow.

"I don't know what to do!" she cried, tear trails staining her cheeks, eyes red and hurting. "I mean… it was _Gabriel_. My father-in-law. Tikki, he was training me. He wanted me to take over the company." She paused to let a few hysteric sobs loose. "It was _Gabriel_ ," she repeated. "Adrien's dad. Adrien's dad who never let him do anything and manipulated Adrien every which way and how dare that… that… that _bastard!_ "

Marinette's head fell back into the pillow as her entire body shook from sobs. "And he _hurt_ people. He almost killed Adrien. He almost _killed him!_ He was _dying_ in my _arms._ I could have _lost_ him and _I can't take that!_ "

The ensuing tears were nothing short of hysterical. She couldn't stop. The pain in her heart was overwhelming as she scream-sobbed into her pillow, soaking it with tears.

Marinette became vaguely aware of Tikki resting in her hair, patting her head and shushing her quietly.

But she couldn't calm until she cried herself out.

"Marinette," Tikki said, not leaving her head. "When I issued the Love Dare, it was meant to do two things. One is obviously to redeem a crumbling marriage. But the second is to force you to examine yourself. You and Adrien are both so broken and hurt but each of you tried to pretend you were fine. It's not a surprise your marriage fell by the wayside."

"I never meant it to, Tikki," Marinette said, wiping away the tear trails on her cheeks. "I never meant to."

"Oh, Marinette, I know," Tikki warmly assured. "I know full well that neither you nor Adrien meant to let this happen. It was neither of your intentions. But now you're here, and you two _have_ to come together to fix it."

Marinette took a long moment to let those words sink in.

"So, I'm not going to make you get your journal out right now. I just want you to listen to today's dare."

After several straying breaths, Marinette was able to answer. "Okay."

"Today's dare is to look back over all the dares you've already done, and I want you to see if there were any that you weren't able to fulfill or complete to the best of your ability, then do them." Tikki flew out of Marinette's hair and settled in her eyesight on the pillow. "Marinette, I think today's dare should be focused on redoing day eleven: love cherishes."

Marinette sniffed, wiping her nose on the soiled pillowcase. "What dare was that again?"

"Meet one of Adrien's needs," Tikki gently reminded. "And he told you very clearly last night what his need was."

Marinette sniffed again. "Um…" she shakily began, "He… he thought I wasn't ever there for him."

"What do you think about that? Do you think you have?"

Marinette paused, then shook her head. "No," she sniffled. "No, I haven't. I didn't even know he was invited to be on the national fencing team."

"So," Tikki began, "Today, I want you to start making some choices that will allow you to be here for him more often. Let you be home more."

For a long moment, Marinette just let those words settle in her head. "What do you suggest?" she asked, looking to Tikki.

The kwami gave her a smile. "I think that step number one would be hiring some people to take over Nathalie's position so that you have more time on your hands instead of having to do two jobs. Maybe today, your dare could be completed by writing up an ad and posting it. Or have Alya help you. I'm sure she'd be thrilled."

Marinette thought it over. Alya would be helpful, but there was someone else that suddenly came to mind who was, well, well-skilled in finding and hiring assistants. "Can you pass me my phone?" Marinette said. "I need to call Chloe."

* * *

"Adrien," Plagg began.

"What is it, Plagg?" he asked, laying on the couch after a long day at work. He was home alone. Again.

"We need to talk about last night."

Adrien's eyes narrowed at him. "What about last night?"

"Last night when Marinette made you a dinner but you yelled at her."

"Yelled at her?"

"Yes and if you deny it, I will cataclysm your sorry butt."

Adrien paused, mostly because he knew he couldn't answer. So, instead of saying a word, he crossed his arms and looked away.

"Kid," Plagg said, his voice kinder. "Isn't there anything in you that wants to save your marriage?"

Adrien's heart skipped a beat, causing his breath to hitch. "Why?"

"Because I remember a very ecstatic young man who cried at the alter after spending nearly five years pursuing a certain princess."

The memory came flooding back, the emotions coming with it. Soon, Adrien was biting his lip to restrain the tears.

"I remember a young man who very excitedly took his new wife house shopping, babbling nonstop how excited he was to start his life with her."

Adrien squeezed his eyes shut at the memory, trying to block it out.

"And I remember a young man who would use very ounce of energy caring for his ladybug, even if he was tired and hurting."

The sob escaped before Adrien could silence it.

"So," Plagg continued, patting Adrien's hair. "You tell me if you're prepared to throw all of that away."

It took a long moment for Adrien to shove down the tears, and when he spoke, he hoped beyond hope his voice was steady. "I'm not."

"Then why are you?"

"Because she's not home," he said. "She's never here."

"Then you need to _tell_ her that that's hurting you. You can't _yell_ at her."

Adrien choked, his heart overflowing and chest tight and eyes begging to release his tears.

"She's not your father, Adrien," Plagg said. "And you know it. She was the one you ran to when your father was being the ass he was. She was the one who let you cry and held you and fed you and sheltered you."

The tears slipped out, but he bit his lip. He had to hold it in.

"Kid," Plagg continued. "Stop holding it in and tell me what's bothering you."

Adrien opened his mouth to answer, but the only thing that escaped was a sob. Quickly, he covered his mouth and screwed his eyes shut just as the tears started up. And when Plagg started purring, it was over. The tears bubbled up and out before he could stop it.

"It was my father," Adrien choked out. "My father. He… he…"

"I know, kid," Plagg assured. "If he wasn't already dead, I'd cataclysm his pathetic butt and roll happily in his ashes. He hurt you. Manipulated you. He wasn't ever there for you. He used you for his own gain."

The tears pouring down his face made it hard to talk, so Adrien nodded fervently.

"He…" Adrien swallowed, managing to calm down for a minute. "He was Hawkmoth. He… he hurt people. He hurt Paris."

Adrien took a shaky breath, barely holding it together. "He hurt Marinette," he said, his voice weak. "That last battle, she was bleeding out. He held her at sword point. I couldn't protect her."

Adrien sniffed, the last ounce of his composure slipping. "He was going to kill her."

And that was it. Plagg simply sat in his hair, patting his head with his little paw and purring until Adrien broke down into unstoppable tears. He only stopped when he passed out.

* * *

"Tikki," Plagg said that night, "Adrien's broken down. I don't know if he's ready to immediately start The Love Dare, but he's ready to stop being so obstinate."

Tikki gasped in surprise. "That's fantastic!"

"Now it's just steering Adrien in the right direction. Give him a few days, and I'm sure he'll be ready to make a serious effort."

"And Marinette will be ready," Tikki assured. "She's hurt, but she's still open to reconciling with him. He's just going to work harder, now."

"But it's Adrien we're talking about," Plagg reminded. "When he's in—"

"He's all in," Tikki finished with a grin. "Now, I just hope he starts making his move soon."


	9. Chapter 9

**Day 21**

Marinette marked her calendar with four interviews she had lined up. For all her faults, Chloe had been immensely helpful with telling Marinette _everything_ she needed in an assistant. Then Alya had kindly jumped on the bandwagon and put Marinette's ad on a couple social media sites. The results had been immediate.

"I'm so proud of you, Marinette," Tikki said. "This is a step in the right direction."

"Chloe said I need to hire two assistants," Marinette said.

"And I fully agree," Tikki said. "You need time to design again because that's your passion. You also need someone to help you run the company. Doing it all on your own isn't an option anymore because you need time to spend with Adrien and take care of yourself."

Marinette nodded, frown tugging at her lips. "He's been gone so much lately with the academy. What if this doesn't work, Tikki?"

Tikki gave her a soft smile. "Marinette, there is only so much you can do. But tell me: would you regret doing this even if Adrien wants to give up?"

Feeling tears prick at her eyes, she turned away from her kwami but shook her head anyway. "No. No, I wouldn't regret it."

Tikki floated down to rest on Marinette's shoulder. She didn't say a word, simply patted Marinette's shoulder in support.

Feeling the tears coming, Marinette quickly wiped them away then turned to see what other work she could do for the day before heading home.

* * *

"I'll be gone tomorrow," Adrien warned her.

"Oh?" Marinette asked. _Again_?

Adrien nodded. "I have a training day for the national team, then there's a welcome dinner of sorts. It will last all day."

"Oh," she said. "O-okay. I hope you have a good day." She added a smile. "And that you have fun."

He gave her a smile, a real one that surprised Marinette a little, but she couldn't say that it didn't make her feel surprisingly warm inside. "Thank you."

* * *

"Can I shove them together already?" Plagg grumbled.

Tikki giggled, "I know. Patience is hard."

Plagg growled. "Adrien's so close to being ready to pursue her to the ends of the earth again. But it's hard when Kagami is doting on him at work. Even after twenty-four years, the idiot doesn't know what a flirt is."

"Well, as long as he's not returning it."

"He's not. Not purposefully, anyway. He thinks it's friendly banter. Kagami may not be perceiving it that way."

Tikki could only roll her eyes. "I'm trusting you to keep him focused."

"I'm not going to drop the ball when we're this close. Trust me, Tikki. Soon enough, he'll have that ring back on his finger, and they'll be back to being the lovebirds they always were."

* * *

 **Day 22**

Adrien had to leave first thing in the morning, so Marinette's dare consisted of journaling why she loved Adrien in the first place and why she was pursuing him again on top of texting him in the middle of the day "I love you."

Because she did. Even if he didn't love her in return, she did love him.

And then, to prove it, she cleaned the house.

She was dusting the master bedroom when she found _it_ : a little card addressed to Adrien wishing him luck as well as the courage to get out of a bad relationship.

Marinette's heart sank for a second. But the more she stared at it, the hotter a fire burned in her belly. Who the hell was this Kagami and what did she know?

"Tikki!" she shouted.

The little kwami came rushing into the room. "What?"

Marinette waved the card in the air. "Did you know about this?"

Tikki stared at the card, but Marinette continued shouting before she could answer.

"And who the _hell_ is this 'Kagami'? And why have I never heard of her?"

"She's the new fencing instructor Adrien hired so he could be freed up to be on the national team."

All she was seeing was red. The world zoned out, and she could no longer hear Tikki, that is, if she was talking. She only stared at the card with a fury boiling inside her.

"Come on, Tikki," Marinette growled, marching out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

"To tell this woman to shove this card up her presumptive ass!"

"Marinette, simmer down!"

"Simmer down?!" Marinette challenged. "This woman is telling Adrien that he should end the relationship with me and you expect me to 'simmer down'?"

"You are not going to drive all the way to the fencing academy to yell at that woman, are you?"

Marinette paused. Tikki had a point: driving to the academy for five minutes didn't sound appealing. But as she looked at the little red kwami, an idea sparked in her mind that had her feeling pretty smug. "No," she said. "I'm going to fly there."

Marinette had the pleasure of seeing Tikki's eyes widen in shock.

"Tikki, spots on!"

* * *

It had been a year since she transformed. And while it felt fantastic, it was a painful reminder of how out of shape she'd gotten.

Apparently, she was going to have to run over the rooftops on a daily basis again.

She hit the school and took a moment to catch her breath before she detransformed. Now, card in hand and Tikki hiding in her jacket, Marinette marched into the academy. She had to ask a student where Ms. Tsurugi's office was, but the moment she found it, Marinette burst through the door and shut it forcefully.

Marinette took a moment to look this woman up and down. She was in a red fencer's uniform, her hair was short and sleek, and her eyes were sharp. Marinette was loathe to admit Kagami was an attractive woman. Maybe Adrien had a thing for Asian (or half-Asian) females.

"May I help you?" Kagami asked, her voice laced with irritation and expression sharp in warning.

"Yes," Marinette said, flashing the card in front of Kagami's face.

The woman's eyes narrowed at the card before leveling at Marinette.

 _I've faced akumas scarier than you, hussy. If you think I'm scared of you, think again._ Marinette cocked her hips and glared back.

"So," Kagami began. "You're the problematic girlfriend."

 _"Girlfriend?_ " Marinette repeated, feeling as though she'd gotten hit in the chest.

"You know, you don't deserve him."

"Oh?" Marinette challenged, ready to hear just what this woman had to say. "Enlighten me."

"Adrien's been walking around for days, miserable because of you. It's clear on his face he doesn't want to keep letting you walk all over him. Every time I see him, he looks stressed."

"And you know that's because of me?" Marinette challenged.

"Yes. He's told me so."

Marinette couldn't deny how much that hurt.

"So yes, I wrote him that card telling him to get out of a bad relationship," Kagami continued. "And now you have the audacity to come here and yell at me in my own office. Let me inform you that you don't own him. And if you care about him whatsoever, you would walk out of his life. He doesn't deserve to let you hold him back from happiness."

Marinette bit her cheek before she completely went Ladybug on this woman. She could feel Tikki press her tiny paws against Marinette's chest, over her heart. _Simmer down._

"Well," Marinette said. "Let me clarify a few things. The first being that you have absolutely no business sticking your nose in this. Absolutely none. The second being that this is something that Adrien and I have to work out without some presumptive woman giving advice to get out instead of fixing it. Thirdly, I actually do have right to Adrien. More so than you."

Kagami scoffed. "Just because you're dating him doesn't mean you have a 'right' to him. He deserves to walk out of that relationship and find someone who would actually care about him."

"I wasn't finished," Marinette growled. "Because I have a fourth point to correct you on."

"And that is."

"I'm not his girlfriend." With that, Marinette stuck out her hand, showing off the ruby ring Adrien gave to her. "I'm his _wife._ "

Kagami's eyes were wide as she stared at the ring. Marinette watched in satisfaction as Kagami's face turned pale in an instant. "Which brings me to my first suggestion: Stay. The hell. Away. From my _husband._ He is mine, and if you think I wouldn't give the damn _world_ for him, you're wrong."

With that, Marinette spun on her heel and marched out the door. She hoped Kagami jumped when she slammed it shut behind her.

* * *

To say Adrien was exhausted was an understatement. He was only halfway through the day and he was ready to go home and crash after a hot shower. However, for the moment, he was happy to sit down for a break.

"Working hard out there?" Plagg asked from his spot hidden in Adrien's bag.

"Yeah," Adrien groaned. "I haven't worked this hard since I was Chat Noir."

Plagg smirked. "It'll whip your lazy butt back into shape."

"Lazy?!" Adrien hissed

"Oh, don't deny it. By the way, you got a message."

Adrien's brow furrowed. "Don't change the subject."

"It's from your wife."

Adrien yanked his phone out of the bag faster than he could blink.

"I love you," read the first message. But then there was a second one.

"I just want you to know that no matter what we've been through or what we go though, I love you. I love you to the ends of the earth and back. I can't wait to see you when you get home and hear about your day."

Adrien stared at the message with a stupidly sweet smile for the rest of his break.

* * *

Adrien got home late. The practice ran late and then the head coach of the national team made an announcement and introductions and there was a dinner then by the time Adrien finally got out, there was traffic and construction all the way home.

Adrien grumbled. And here he was hoping that he could have a little quality time with his wife. They had a lot of air to clear, and Adrien knew that it wasn't going to happen overnight.

Unfortunately, when he got home, Marinette was fast asleep on the couch.

"She's been running herself into the ground, lately," Tikki told him. "She wanted to stay up for you, but—"

"It's okay, Tikki," he assured, looking at his exhausted wife. "She deserves it."

Tikki gave him a sweet smile before flying off with Plagg to who-knew-where.

Adrien took a moment to look his wife over, curled up on the couch. He almost got her a blanket, but decided that her bed would be the more comfortable option.

Would he like her to come back into their room? Yes. But he didn't know if she was ready for that. So, the guest room-slash-her-room-for-way-too-long it was.

He picked her up from the couch, feeling his muscles in his back strain. He must have overworked himself today; she wasn't that heavy. She had never been.

When he curled her up against his chest, his heart beat wildly. He missed this. He missed the feel of her small body pressed against him. He missed the fierce protectiveness that flooded him when she was here, curled up next to him and safe. He missed…

He missed her bring his wife.

And that was his fault.

He snuggled her closer, his heart nearly giving out when she gave a happy sigh in her sleep. He wanted this. He wanted this back.

All too soon, he placed her down on the mattress, making sure her head was comfortably on the pillow before pulling the covers up over her. He took a moment to admire her, his beautiful wife. And when the temptation became too strong, he gave in, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I love you, too," he whispered. "To the ends of the earth and back."


	10. Chapter 10

**Day 23**

Marinette woke in her own bed, though it took her a moment to realize where she was. She had fallen asleep in the couch. If she was in bed but didn't remember getting in it, then there was only one reason.

"Did Adrien come home?" she asked Tikki.

The kwami nodded. "About ten minutes after you fell asleep."

Marinette groaned, rubbing tired hands down her face. "I can't believe it. It was barely nine."

"But you've been working yourself into the ground for the longest time," Tikki said. "And yesterday, you went running around as Ladybug and facing off Kagami. That took a lot out of you."

While Marinette wasn't convinced, she dropped the subject, instead choosing to get up to make breakfast. She faced Tikki for her daily love dare, then got ready for the day.

She walked out the door, only to freeze in the garage when she saw Adrien's car there. She spun around. He was home?

Her heart jumped. Was he up and awake? Or was he sleeping in after a rough day?

And didn't he have work today?

"Adrien isn't going to work today?" she asked no one in particular.

"He's hurting pretty bad," Plagg said, appearing by her side. "Moaning about some pulled muscle in his back."

"What?" But she already ran inside, dropping her purse on the kitchen counter and heading to Adrien's room before she could hear Plagg respond.

She gave a quiet knock on the door before she cracked it open. "Adrien?"

There was a garbled hum in response, but he didn't move from his face-down position on the bed.

"Can I come in?"

He hummed again. "Yeah."

His voice was rough and low and should be illegal. She loved his morning voice, remembering the first time she heard it the morning after their wedding. Still, Marinette pushed past that warm memory and entered. "Hey," she quietly greeted, walking up to where he was laying right at the edge of the bed, his arm hanging off the side. "Are you okay?"

"I hurt," he mumbled.

"Yeah?" She knelt down beside the bed so he could see her without having to strain his neck to lookup at her.

"Tweaked something in my back really bad."

"Oh, sweetheart," she cooed, unable to resist running her hands through is fluffy bedhead. "Do you need anything?"

His eyes drifted closed a moment, but when they opened again, they looked glassy. "I'm sorry."

She paused, mostly out of surprise. "W-what?"

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I'm sorry for being stubborn and wanting to give up on us."

Her heart was going to pound out of her chest.

"I'm sorry for taking all my anger out on you," he continued. "I'm sorry for everything and…" Tears ran down his cheeks before he could get out the next words.

But tears were running down Marinette's, too. Her heart was leaping, and she found it shockingly easier to breathe. "Shh. It's okay."

"No, it's not," he said, voice warbling with tears. "It's not. I've been the _shittiest_ husband to you, and it's nothing short of miraculous that you're still here with me. Marinette, I am so, so sorry."

Her breath was coming rapidly as her heart danced around in her chest. Her vision was blurry from unshed tears, and the smile that sprung up to her face was one that was so wide it hurt. Unable to not be in contact with him any longer, she lay over his shoulders in the best hug she could give. The feeling of Adrien's arm slowly snaking around her waist was something she didn't realize how desperately she missed. "I'm sorry, too," she said, her voice warbly. "I'm not exactly innocent here. I have been a crappy wife to you, and for that, I am so sorry."

"But you were so much better than me."

"But—"

"Nope," he interrupted. "No. You… you…" he sighed. "You changed. I didn't. I was stubborn and an ass, and I'm so sorry." He sighed. "Why you didn't just leave in the first place is beyond me. You deserved better than that."

"You are my husband," she said. "No matter what, I love you, and you are worth it."

His arm tightened on her waist. "I love you, too," he whispered. "So, so much."

"So, so much," Marinette repeated back at him.

"And I'm going to prove it to you," he continued, rubbing her hand on her side in a sweet gesture. "I swear, I'm going to prove that… that I changed, too. I have a lot of ground to make up for being a crappy husband and pushing you away for the last, well, year."

She bit her lip to keep in a happy sob.

"But I love you," he said. "And you are worth anything I have to do to get you back and everything I have to do to keep you. I vowed to do so years ago, and I failed, and I'm begging you for a second chance to prove to you that I do mean those vows. Because I do. You're worth it. You're beyond worth it."

Her smile fell away, mostly out of surprise as the emotions bubbling up inside her threatened to come out in ugly tears.

He looked like he just may start crying again as well. "I'm so sorry, Marinette. I'm so sorry."

Holding back her tears was an impossible task. She held him tighter, burying her face into his neck in the best imitation of a hug she could give. "I forgive you," she whispered through the tears. "I forgive you."

Slowly, she felt his arm tighten over her waist, both returning the hug and holding her there. And they stayed there for a while, unmoving as they both cried. Gradually, their tears slowed, but they still didn't move.

"Do you need anything?" Marinette eventually got the idea to ask. "For your back?"

"Aleve?" he said "Please."

She forced herself to pull away. "Yeah. I'll be right back."

Adrien's hand slipped from around her waist, as if he didn't want her to go. She didn't want to leave, either, but he was hurting and needed her to get some medicine for him. She'd happily do it for him, but the extra pep in her step was caused by Adrien's tearful apology ringing in her ears over and over again.

When she returned, she brought him the medicine, a glass of water, and one of the heating pads from the closet.

"Do you need help sitting up?"

"Please."

Slowly, carefully, Marinette helped Adrien roll over. Marinette watched her poor husband's face scrunch with pain, and it reminded her of the days when they were patching up each other after a bad akuma attack. She was so glad those days were over.

Gradually, the pain faded from his face, and he took the offered pain pill and water glass.

She then showed him the heating pad. "Do you think this would help?"

He looked at the pad then nodded. "Yeah."

"Where does it hurt?"

"Lower back." With his arm, he carefully shifted to point at the spot above his hip. "Here."

Carefully, Marinette shuffled everything around so she could plug the heating pad into the power strip behind the nightstand. From there, it was a task to get the pad under Adrien's back while trying to cause him as little pain as possible.

When he settled back down, the pain slowly eased off his face. "Thank you," he said, the last edges of pain leaving his voice. "You didn't have to do that."

"You're my husband," she countered, crawling onto the bed beside him. "Of course, I do. I _want_ to. The day I think I don't need to care for you is the day I need to reevaluate my priorities."

His smile appeared slowly, but there were so many more emotions packed behind it. "Well," he said. "I had to reevaluate my priorities lately."

She gave him a smile, then cradled his cheeks in her hands. "I'm glad," she whispered.

With a happy grin, he stretched his arm out. "Come here."

Happily, she took his invitation, settling down curled up against him, resting her head on his shoulder. With great care, he curled his arm over her waist, causing her to smile. When was the last time they snuggled up like this? She didn't know.

She also didn't realize how desperately she missed this.

She sighed, settling deeper into her little safety spot curled up against him. Slowly, her arm snaked across his chest to lay over his heart, just like she used to do.

And just like he used to, he took her hand in his, raised it to his lips, and kissed her palm. "My bugaboo," he said, squeezing her hand. "My lady. My princess."

She hummed happily. "My kitty. My knight. Mon chaton."

* * *

Tikki was struggling to withhold her happy giggles. "Mission accomplished!" she squeaked.

"They still have a ways to go," Plagg sassed, smirk on his face purely teasing.

"Oh, sock it!" Tikki scolded. "They do, but that's not the point. They're back together and willing to work through the rest of it as a team."

"Only took them twenty-three dares," Plagg sarcastically quipped.

"There've been couples that took a lot longer."

"I wouldn't have pegged it on these two, though."

Tikki's mirth faded slightly. "Frankly, I wouldn't either. But we aren't going to think about that. We're going to be happy for them."

Plagg smiled then raised up his paw.

With a grin, Tikki tapped it with her own.

"Pound it!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Day 24**

Adrien was at least up and moving the next day, even if he was walking like an old man. He would count that as a win.

His next win was that his wife was back at his side, like the partners they were. They shared the bed last night. First time in month. Sadly, he didn't know how many. But waking up beside her, that petite little firecracker sprawled out over his chest, hair a fluffy mess and expression serene and happy, that was what he lived for.

She even stayed in bed a little later than normal today. It made him extremely happy.

Yet, he was still a little disappointed that she had to leave for work.

"I do have to go just check in on things today. And then I have an interview."

"Oh?" he said, raising a brow. "What position?"

"Nathalie's."

Adrien's eyes widened. He stood there frozen, looking stiffer than he actually was.

A soft blush rose to her cheeks. "You were right," she admitted. "You and Tikki. I let the company take priority over you, over Tikki, over my health; I let it consume me. I haven't even been designing anything lately because I've been so worked up over micromanaging the company. But that's going to change. I swear. I'm not going to let it consume me anymore, and if I need to hire people so that that all happens, then I hire people." She rounded the counter so that she was standing directly in front of Adrien. "I swear," she began, looking him in the eye and placing her hand over his heart. "I will not make you feel like you have to compete with the company for me."

He could feel the tears coming on. Even though he was smiling, he bit his lower lip to keep it from quivering. "I don't deserve you," he whispered, his voice unable to be any louder.

"A ladybug always needs her kitty," she returned just as softly.

He sniffed, and those tears poured over his cheeks. "Again," he said, reaching out to hold her hips and pull her close. "I don't deserve you."

By now, they were chest to chest, his hands holding her hips and her hands on his sides. Their eyes locked for a moment, but then he found his gaze drifting southward to her lips.

When their gazes met again, he could see that her expression had shifted. Her breathing was picking up, as was his. Slowly, he began lowering his head.

She shifted, slowly pushing herself up on her tip-toes while one of her hands came up to cup his cheek. His gaze fell to her lips again. He was close now, but he hesitated a moment, letting her back out now if she wanted.

But she was still there, and so he lowered his lips the rest of the way to meet hers.

They were soft. The kiss itself was gentle and tentative and testing. It was him pressing his lips to hers, lingering a good second, then pulling away. But only barely.

He had to take a step to widen his stance. He was so dizzy he could fall over at any given second.

And then that was all forgotten because her lips were back on his. Firmer, this time. They moved on his, and he eventually had the bright idea to respond.

It didn't grow heated, consisting of only sweet, needy touches, yet when she pulled away, he had to reach for the counter to stable himself. He knew in that moment that she was going to leave and he was going to pass out. And when she got home and found him on the floor—because with his back, he wasn't getting up on his own anytime soon—he would say that it was all her fault because she was deadly to him. She was his worst weakness.

They were silent for a moment. He couldn't open his eyes and instead focused on breathing normally because his heart was going faster than his sports car could.

"I…" Marinette began, her voice a weak as he felt. It wasn't helping knowing that he was the one to cause her breathlessness. "I should go."

"Oh… okay," was all he managed to say. He forced his eyes open to look at her. "Good luck on the interview," he said. "And have a good day."

She gave him a smile that was going to kill him. "Thank you. You rest and get better. Text me if you need anything."

"I will."

Next thing he knew, she was gone and out the door. He put both hands on the counter for support.

"You okay?" Plagg asked, floating at his side.

No. Adrien was not okay. He was two steps from passing out and being sprawled out on the floor because a simple kiss had left him weak and shaky like he was a teenager again and she was giving him a kiss for the first time and he didn't know how to handle it.

But Adrien was a liar. "Yeah. I'm fine. But I'm going to go lay down a bit."

"Need an ice pack or anything?"

"The heating pad worked really well. I'm going to go lay on that."

"Okay. Tell me if you need anything."

"I will. Thanks, Plagg."

Slowly, Adrien made his way back to bed. There was a notebook on the side table that wasn't there before. Adrien hadn't seen it before, but considering that it was pink with polka dots, it had to be Marinette's.

Curiously, he opened it, wondering if she forgotten it or not. It wouldn't surprise him if she did; it was a classic Marinette thing to do. He cracked the cover only to see the words "The Love Dare" written in loopy lettering on the front page.

He turned the page.

 _Day 1: Love is patient._

 _Love is communicated in a number of ways, but our words often reflect the condition of our hearts. So, for the entire day, demonstrate patience with your partner. Do not say anything negative to Adrien, and if you feel the urge to, don't say anything at all._

Slowly, he took a seat on the bed. _Don't say anything negative to Adrien._ Those words jumped off the page at him. He couldn't resist turning the page again, only to see a journal entry.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Tikki is making me do this. It wasn't my idea to journal at the end of the day and "reflect on my actions." But I don't want to argue with Tikki. She's scary when she's angry._

Adrien smirked. Tikki had nothing on Plagg.

 _It's the beginning of this forty-day challenge to "fix the box" so to speak. Do I want to save this marriage? Maybe. I don't even know. Adrien hates me. It's irritating dealing with him. I don't need his sass. I didn't even know "we're out of milk" could be as sassy and have as much attitude as he put in it._

Adrien froze. Day 1. He remembered that day because that was the day he had decided he was done and was just waiting for a reason to walk out of the house. Waiting for her to fight so he could have a reason to leave, permanently.

But she didn't give it to him.

He turned the page.

 _Day 2: Love is kind_

 _In addition to not saying anything negative today, do one act of kindness for Adrien without expecting anything in return._

He turned the page, ready for the journal entry, though there wasn't much there besides her commenting on how frustrating it was that the dares all accumulated and what was she supposed to do—

He paused, re-reading that line again.

What was she supposed to do a day 40.

Forty.

Forty days of dares.

Adrien looked up from the journal to stare at the wall. She'd undertaken a set of forty dares from Tikki? All to save their marriage?

Before he knew it, Adrien was burning through the journal, reading every dare and journal entry.

At day 7, he looked at the ragged edge of the ripped page and wondered why it was there. By day 8, he knew why.

At day 18, he cringed at the journal entry. He had been such an ass.

At day 22, he stared at the entry, reading it over again as it recounted her 'visit' to Kagami, saying that there was no way she'd let that woman have Adrien if she had anything to say about it.

But she did have a say about it. A very big one.

By the time he finished, Adrien was crying. No way around that.

"Plagg!" he shouted.

His kwami came rushing in, eyes wide with worry. "What happened?"

"What is this?" Adrien asked, wiping the tears off his face as he held the journal in the air. "I know you know what this is. What is it?"

Plagg stared at the book, slowly sinking from his alerted posture. "We kwamis call it the Love Dare," he explained. "All kwamis know about it. It's a series of forty dares that we use to challenge our holder when they're going through a rough patch in their marriage. In this case, Tikki pulled it on Marinette because you weren't willing to hear it from me."

Those last words struck Adrien in the gut. Hard. _Painfully_ hard. "You… you tried…"

Plagg nodded. "But you weren't ready nor open. You threw your ring off. However, Marinette was."

His ring. A wave of panic washed over him as he looked down at his hand. _His ring_. Instantly, he stood from the bed and began scavenging through the drawers. "Where is it. Where is it!" Every passing second, he was cursing himself. He should have found it two nights ago when he knew in his heart that he wasn't giving up on that woman, but he didn't. So now, he was painstakingly bending over to search for the ring he threw in a drawer. His back hurt so bad, but he deserved it.

Just as he was about to start sobbing, Plagg phased through one of the drawers, only to reappear with the ring a few seconds later.

Adrien shoved it back on his finger, wondering if he should superglue it there just to remind him that giving up on Marinette wasn't an option and never would be. He loved that woman more than he deserved to. And she clearly loved him back far more than he deserved.

Because frankly, what he deserved was _her_ throwing divorce papers at his face and telling him that he can take a hike so she could find someone who actually cared enough to fight for their marriage.

Wedding ring on, he hobbled into the bathroom and decided to pull himself together. He took a hot shower, begging himself to stop crying countless times throughout. After that, he searched his closet, pulling out a pair of nice slacks, a white button down, and a vest. From there, he grabbed his phone and his wallet, but Plagg sat on his car keys. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Plagg, please, I'm not in the mood for this."

"Not until you tell me just what you're planning."

Adrien leveled a look at Plagg. "Fine."

* * *

Marinette got home in a really good mood. The interview was a success, and while there were several others lined up, Marinette felt that this girl might be a pretty good fit.

She walked inside. "Adrien," she called out the second she swung open the door. "I'm home. Where are you at?"

"Bedroom," he called out.

With a grin, she bounded off to meet him and maybe give him another kiss because heaven knew she'd been caving another hit like a junkie all day long. However, she slowed to a stop, her grin falling in surprise as she saw Adrien standing in the bedroom, dressed-up and looking as handsome as ever. In his arms was a huge bouquet of red roses tied together with a large, polka dotted ribbon.

"Marinette," he began. He looked off to the bed, pulling out from the sheets a notebook that looks suspiciously like hers.

Her stomach dropped. "Where'd you find that?"

"You left it out on the nightstand," he answered, setting the book down on the bed. "I thought you forgot it and needed it for work, but when I opened it…"

Her heart twisted into a nervous mess before sinking to the floor in shame. "You read it, didn't you?"

"I did," he admitted.

Marinette wasn't sure what to think then. Adrien looked equally lost for words.

"Marinette," Adrien said after a long time of just standing there. "I… I don't even know what to say other than I am so, so, so sorry."

Her gaze lifted from the floor to meet his.

Slowly, he stepped over to her, then painstakingly took a knee before her. "Marinette," he repeated, tears in his eyes just like she knew there were tears in hers. "Marinette, I don't deserve you. With the way I've acted not just these past few weeks but these past several _months_ , the fact you pulled that," he pointed at the journal, "on me… blows my mind."

She smiled. "You're worth it."

"Not in the beginning, I wasn't."

"I'm sorry," Marinette quickly said. "I'm sorry for ever—"

"Don't you dare complete that sorry," he warned. "Because if you recall, I wasn't any better than you back then. In fact, I was definitely worse because I didn't even think about listening to my kwami when he was trying to suggest I do that." His head bowed in shame. "I wasn't even willing to try to save our marriage, Marinette. And for that, I am truly, deeply sorry. You have no idea…"

And that's when his shoulders shook.

Her heart may be broken and shattered all over the ground in a million little pieces and her brain may be fried out of shock, but she still reached out to cradle her husband's head to her chest.

"I'm so sorry," he said, curling his arms around her. "And I know no amount of flowers in the world will fix this, but I'm asking, Marinette—begging, really—would you consider forgiving me for being such an ass. _Such_ an ass."

"Oh, minou," she said, burying her face in his hair as tears started rolling down her cheeks. "I forgive you."

"I'm going to finish the love dares with you."

That got her to pause. "What?"

"Yes," he insisted, clinging to her tighter. "Yes, because you deserve it. You deserve so much more than I can possibly give you. But I will be finishing those love dares with you. I went out and got a journal today. Plagg's been catching me up on all the dares so that I can start tomorrow with you, facing these dares together. You deserve that from me. You deserve more than that, but I can't go back in time, so that's what I can give. And I swear, I will be pouring my all into them because you are my wife and there is no one more important to me than you."

She was sobbing. She was outright sobbing, and there was no stemming the flow of tears pouring down her face right now. "I love you," she said. "You're the most important person to me, too, kitty. I love you so much. I can't… I can't lose you."

"I love you, too, bugaboo," Adrien returned, wetting her blouse with his tears. "I love you so, so much."


	12. Chapter 12

**Day 25**

"Day 25," Tikki said to Adrien and Marinette as they sat on the couch that morning. This, they decided, was going to be their new routine. They each had their coffee and their notebooks, and they eagerly awaited Tikki and Plagg's teaching. "Love forgives."

"We know you two had a crying fest yesterday," Plagg said. "But today, I think both of you need to be clear on what you're sorry for."

"And to do that," Tikki continued. "I think we need to go to the root source."

Marinette frowned. "And what's that?"

Tikki and Plagg gave each other a look that caused Marinette to worry. Plagg zipped off somewhere in the house while TIkki gave them a look of sympathy. "We should go back to the day this all fell apart."

Adrien's brow furrowed.

"The day you two defeated Hawkmoth."

Plagg returned with a box of tissues that he placed between the two of them.

The kwamis began by recounting that day and the plan between them to invade Hawkmoth's lair and take him down. The superhero duo was reminded of how they swore their love for each other before the fight in case something went wrong.

Which it did.

Adrien was the first to grab a tissue when the kwamis covered Ladybug's downfall. She had been the first to fall, Hawkmoth having grabbed her yo-yo and used it against her to pull her in and take a swing at her with his hidden sword. This sparked a round of apologies from Adrien about how he regretted he couldn't protect her and how he didn't know what he would have done if he lost her.

"You're the best thing to have ever happened to me," he choked out. "And I couldn't get to you. He… my father… he was going to kill you, and I couldn't get to you."

Of course, this led to Marinette's tears. She grabbed a tissue in one hand to blow her nose, then grabbed his hands and held tight.

That day, the other supers had appeared out of nowhere. Carapace had come in to protect Ladybug from the blow Hawkmoth was ready to give while Rena assisted in freeing Chat from the trap Hawkmoth had set up.

After that, Chat charged Hawkmoth, starting a sword fight between the two of them. Chat had been loathe to admit Hawkmoth was a good swordsman, which shouldn't have been surprising once the man had been revealed. Chat had won the fight, Hawkmoth falling to the ground. Ladybug had marched up to him, demanding his miraculous. She had reached for his brooch, but Hawkmoth had grabbed a hidden blade. Chat had caught sight of it before Ladybug did, and he'd ran to protect her. Queen Bee had been the second to notice, summoning her power ready to sting, but Hawkmoth was too quick. Chat had shoved Ladybug out of the way just as the knife landed in his side.

Within moments, Chat had been choking out blood.

Seeing his moment, Hawkmoth had grabbed the ring off Chat, revealing Adrien.

And things had gone downhill from there.

Once Hawkmoth saw Adrien, his immediate reaction had been to drop the ring in shock. Queen Bee had gotten him this time, freezing him. The brooch had been ripped, off revealing Gabriel Agreste.

Ladybug had to be reminded to use the Miraculous Ladybug power in order to fix everything. Tears had been pouring down her face as she clutched Adrien tightly. The moment the ladybugs washed over him, his gradually shallowing breathing had been restored to normal and the blood strain that had soaked his side vanished. Ladybug had even lifted up his shirt and stared at his side in order to prove to herself her kitty wasn't going to die.

She did it for days afterwards, too.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see the blade," Marinette sobbed, grabbing another tissue and blowing her nose. "I'm sorry. I'm a terrible partner."

"No," Adrien assured reaching cross the tissue box to grab her cheeks, wiping away the tears with his thumbs. "No, I should have held him down."

"No. It was my fault—"

"No, it was mine."

And their argument eventually dissolved into two people clinging to each other like life-lines as they sobbed in their bed of used tissues.

"Tikki," Plagg whispered as he looked over the duo. "I say that's enough for the day."

Tikki looked at them in pity. "I think you're right," she agreed. "Their problems are way too vast to be solved in a day."

"Maybe by this time next year, they'll have dumped all their baggage," Plagg said.

"You really think it will take that long?"

The kwamis looked over the duo again, who had calmed from ugly snot-bubble crying to clingy sobs. "Nah," Plagg answered. "I was wrong. Two years. Minimum."

* * *

 **Day 28**

Adrien held tightly to his journal in his office. He took it with him everywhere as a reminder to think about the morning's issued love dare throughout the day. He hadn't been doing it as long as Marinette, but he did swear to do the dares to the best of his ability for her. He was determined to uphold that promise.

"Love makes sacrifices," he mumbled, looking over the dare and thinking just what he could do today to meet that goal.

Or, to use Kagami's terms, what he could do to strike that target.

A knock came at his door.

"Yes?"

Kagami entered. "Hey, you made it today."

"Yeah, barely," Adrien said.

"Back still hurts?"

Adrien nodded. "Surprisingly."

"You must have tweaked it really bad."

"Must have," Adrien agreed. "As long as it goes away, that's all I care about."

Kagami nodded. "It will, soon enough."

There was a pause.

"Was there anything else you wanted, Kagami?"

Kagami paused, glancing down at his hands. "I—"

There was another knock on the door. Thinking it must be a student, Adrien called them in.

Only for Marinette to appear in the doorway.

Adrien's heart leapt at the smile she shot him. However, when her eyes locked on Kagami, he suddenly wondered just how dangerous it was having two very powerful, very assertive women in the same room.

Particularly when they had already faced off.

"Sweetheart," Adrien greeted, hoping to disperse the tension between them. "What a pleasant surprise."

Marinette's shoulders immediately relaxed as she looked over at him. "I brought you lunch," Marinette said, holding up a bag with a grin while walking over to him.

"You didn't have to. I packed a lunch."

"I also brought IcyHot patches and the heating pad for you. Your coach told you to take care of that back injury."

He grinned down at her, a warm and fuzzy feeling filling him, but suddenly remembered there was someone else in the room. "Forgive me, Kagami," he began. "But have you met my wife, Marinette?" He slipped an arm around her waist, hand resting on her hip. Mostly, it was to hold her there because he'd seen his lady in action. He may not have seen the face-off between these two women, but knowing these women as he did, he knew it could not have been pretty.

Kagami frowned. "I can't say I have. I was unaware you were married."

Marinette shifted in his hold, meaning he tightened his grip on her. Even Adrien felt his smile strain at her words. He knew by Marinette's journal that Kagami thought he was only dating, but that was his fault for not wearing his ring. To think that that might have affected what advice she'd given him. Worse yet, to think he was close to following it…

He shoved that thought out of his mind.

"However," Kagami continued, "seeing as it was rather kind of her to bring you lunch, I will be taking my leave now."

"Thank you," Marinette purred. "Sorry to interrupt."

Kagami's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at Marinette. And in return, Marinette shot Kagami an exaggerated grin. Adrien knew her well enough to know that was a vicious smile. A dangerous one. One she shot akumas that said "try me. I _dare_ you."

He loved this woman.

"Wait, Kagami," Adrien called out right before she was going to walk out the door. "What did you want to say to me earlier?"

Kagami looked back at him, her smile clearly forced. "Nothing we can't talk about later. I just wanted to go over some of the class information."

Adrien knew she was lying, but let it slide. For now. "All right. We can discuss that after the school day."

Kagami nodded, then slipped out the door.

The door closed slowly, but the moment it shut, Adrien dished out a firm smack to Marinette's rear.

She squeaked in protest, talking a step away from him to protect her backside. "What was that for?"

"Play nice."

"She was throwing herself at you and lying to your face, and you want me to play nice?"

"I will confront her later when you aren't in the same room together—"

"And why not?"

"Because I don't want to know how the confrontation between the two of you happened, but I need to confront her on those issues alone because who knows how you two will react in the same room."

Marinette rolled her eyes, but bit back her retort.

"And secondly, she wasn't throwing herself at me."

Marinette's brow immediately rose and she crossed her arms. He knew right then he was in trouble.

"That's just Kagami being Kagami," Adrien defended. "She's really assertive. She wasn't throwing herself at me."

Before Marinette could say a word, Plagg made an appearance, cackling like a mad-man. "Can you believe this idiot, Tikki?"

Adrien's expression faded as he took a seat in his office chair. "No. No way."

Marinette's brow somehow rose higher. "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

Plagg continued rolling around in the air, laughing all the while.

"No," Adrien argued, feeling more and more like an idiot for missing something. "No, she's a co-worker. Maybe a friend, but that's it. Kagami doesn't see me like…"

He didn't complete that sentence. Plagg was laughing so hard it was only a matter of time before he attracted outside attention. Marinette, on the other hand, rubbed her temples with a grimace on her face.

Eventually, Marinette dropped her hands and stared straight at him, "Adrien," she said, coming up to him and bending down to get to face level with him. "You are an idiot."

He blinked a few times. "So… you mean she _did_ see me as more than just a friend?"

Marinette hung her head a second before facing him with a newly exasperated look. "Little more than that," she said, tone dripping in sarcasm.

"Oh," Adrien said, trying to recall all her actions to see if they were flirty or forward whatsoever, and he guessed that they were. "I guess I missed that."

Marinette sighed, her grin turning exasperated as she regarded him. "Good gracious, you are an idiot. No wonder you were the only one _not_ to know of my crush on you in school."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I thought we were just good friends," he whimpered.

She shot him a grin before shuffling forward and sitting down in his lap. He was already fried at that point because her pretty bum was on his legs, but then she took his cheeks in her hands and he nearly forgot what breathing was or why it was important. "All I care about," Marinette said, her tone sweet and gentle, "is that you're _my_ idiot and _only_ my idiot."

"Forever and always," he quickly vowed before he realized what she said.

Her grin was wide and her eyes glittered and her hands wove into his hair to pet it. His eyes closed on their own accord. "Good husband."


	13. Chapter 13

**Day 32**

Their alarm didn't go off. It wasn't like Marinette had meetings she had to be at or Adrien had training to attend.

But Marinette had meeting she had to be at and Adrien had training to attend.

Their Love Dare time was very unfortunately scrapped.

"Tonight," Adrien promised, pulling her in.

"Toni—"

Adrien smashed his lips on hers before she could finish.

"I love you," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I love you." He kissed her other cheek. "I love you." Her nose. "I love you." Her lips again.

She grabbed his cheeks, pushing him away. "I love you, too, kitty."

He grinned, stole one last searing kiss from her, then ran out the door.

"Tikki," Marinette said, looking at the door with a dazed look. Her heart was roaring and her head was surprisingly light, curtesy of that last kiss. "Please pinch me if I get distracted on the road."

Tikki rolled her eyes. "You're going to be late if you don't get a move on!"

That snapped Marinette out of her stupor. "Right! Let's get going!"

* * *

"I have to say, Marinette," Tikki commented during lunch, "you and Adrien have come a very long way in a short amount of time."

Marinette smiled fondly. "Yeah. We have, haven't we?"

"It's really good. And I'm so proud of you and how far you have come. You stepped up to be the bigger person, and look where that's gotten you."

She felt warm and happy, but mostly, she felt thankful. "No, I owe it all to you. You were the one who made me do the Love Dare to Adrien. And you kept me on top of it. Thank you, Tikki."

The kwami smiled. "You were the one who was willing enough to do it. I just offered a little guidance."

"Still," Marinette argued. "Thank you, Tikki."

Tikki floated down to rest in Marinette's hand. "You're welcome."

Marinette brought the kwami up to her face, pressing Tikki against her cheek in the best imitation of a hug she could give.

"So," Tikki began. "I know you and Adrien are adamant about your Love Dare time together. However, I actually would like to warn you of this love dare beforehand."

Marinette frowned. "Why? What is it?"

"Nothing bad," Tikki assured. "I just thought you might like to prepare for it before tonight."

Despite her brow being furrowed in confusion, Marinette reached for her journal and opened it to the right page. "Okay,"

"Ready?"

"Ready."

"Love meets sexual needs."

Marinette froze. Oh. _That's_ why Tikki wanted to warn her.

"Marinette?" Tikki asked. "Something wrong?"

Marinette bit her lip. "No," she said, answering honestly. "I… it's just…" Her voice drifted off, uncertain how to finish that sentence. Really, Marinette found nothing wrong with the dare. It mostly just caught her off guard. "Most of these dares have been about non-intimate things so…"

The smile Tikki gave her was full of understanding. "Marinette, you and Adrien are husband and wife. I'm not saying sex is all there is to a marriage, but it is an important part of it because it creates a bond, one that runs very deep. It brings a couple together in unity. And you and Adrien could use a little of that."

Certain her face was pink at the thought, Marinette took a couple steadying breaths. It wasn't like the thought of sex was embarrassing; she'd been married for years for heaven's sake. However, the more she thought about it, the more she realized the really couldn't remember the last time she and Adrien had been intimate.

It wasn't like she hadn't wanted him over the past handful of days. Between Adrien recovering from his back injury and Marinette having to monitor an emergency of a rack of destroyed clothes that were supposed to be for a photoshoot, then Adrien's training running late and Marinette training the new hires, the last couple days had been jam packed with back to back events. All Marinette had to say was thank goodness for their Love Dare time in the mornings as well as their renewed bond that lead to constant texts and phone calls throughout the day.

"I'm not letting us break again," Adrien had insisted, seeing as he was the one who initiated most of the calls. "And that means making an effort to reach out to you every day since home time is pretty minimal right now."

"Tonight," Tikki said, calling Marinette back to reality from her thoughts, "Adrien will be home after all the after-school classes are done at the academy. And you don't have anything left to deal with here. The girls can handle the minor things."

"True," Marinette said.

"You'll be off at a decent time today. Before him," Tikki encouraged.

Marinette looked at Tikki, who was giving her a knowing look. Feeling heat rise to her cheeks, Marinette had to huff a laugh. "I can't believe this," Marinette mumbled, though her lips were quirked up in a smile. "A kwami invading my sex life."

"Oh, Marinette," Tikki cooed with a smile that was definitely dangerous. "I've been around a long time. Trust me, I know quite a bit more than you think I do, and I'd be _more_ than happy to pass on that knowledge."

Instantly, a bright red color flooded Marinette's face, extending down her neck to her burning chest. "Tikki!"

* * *

Adrien was more than excited to rush home. He'd been staring at his journal all day, anxious and ready to hear the day's love dare.

"I could just tell you now," Plagg said for the umpteenth time on the car ride home.

"Plagg, I told you, I do this with Marinette. That's the point of it. Being together for each lesson."

"I'll bet Tikki already told Marinette."

"What makes you say that?"

"If you knew the dare—"

"I'm not going to hear it."

Adrien pulled into the driveway of the house. "Well, kid, your funeral."

Before Adrien could ask Plagg what he meant by that, the kwami phased out of the car and into the house. Shaking his head, Adrien grabbed his bag from the back seat and began heading inside. He tossed open the door, then tossed it shut behind him. And immediately froze where he stood.

Because directly in his line of sight was Marinette sitting on the counter in… well… _definitely_ _not_ what she went to work in that day.

Her grin was nothing short of cattish. "Hey there, hot stuff."

He dropped his bag.

She giggled. Slowly, she uncrossed her stocking-covered legs. Something jingled, though just where that was coming from was beyond him. She strutted up to him, hips swinging and smile growing. His heart was positively pounding inside his chest as his mind registered one thing: there wasn't going to be sleep happening tonight.

And just _where_ was that jingling coming from because that was going to kill him.

Then he realized that he'd find out soon enough because there was no way his hands were going to be off her body for long.

She stopped directly in front of him, standing on her tip-toes as she leaned close. "Did you have a good day?"

His mind was slow on the go. His day. His day was good. No, his day was frigging fantastic. "I come home to my wife modeling a pin-up pose on the kitchen counter in the sexiest lingerie I've ever seen in my life. If you're expecting me to say my day was terrible, you're going to be sorely disappointed."

She giggled, then swung around in a circle that drew so much attention to…

Heck, he was drooling over her entire body.

"You really like it?" she asked, striking another pose.

He was going to die. Positively keel over right then and there. His wife was decked out in a Chat Noir themed outfit, his colors and paw print symbol stamped all over her like a brand. Marinette in Chat Noir _anything_ sparked a possessive streak a mile wide in him.

And Marinette _knew_ it.

His eyes narrowed. "You're trying to kill me, aren't you?"

"Now, why would I do that?" Marinette coyly asked, leaning forward on her toes. The moment her hands hit his chest, it was over. He shoved her back into the closest wall he could find.

She grinned, her eyes full of fire. "Did I strike a possessive nerve, mon chaton?"

He growled. "You're in _so_ much trouble, _purrr_ incess."

Her grin only widened. Her hot little hands weaseled under his shirt, and he was free of it seconds later.

Getting a grip on her thighs—his hands hit something round and hard on her garters, meaning he found the jingle bells. _Score!_ —he hoisted her up around his hips, still pressing her against the wall before smashing his lips to hers.

She eagerly responded, grabbing at his hair and cradling his cheeks.

"I love you," she managed to say between kisses.

"I love you," he quickly responded. "I love you so much. I love you. I love you. I love you."

Grabbing a fist full of hair, she kissed him hard and long before pulling back just enough to whisper. "I love you, too. So, so much. Forever."

After a few more steamy kisses, she wiggled her way out of his grasp, grabbing his hand and pulling him down the hall toward the master bedroom. The urge to press her up against the wall again and positively snog her senseless was strong, but she beat him to the opportunity, side-stepping his movements and swinging him around.

But Adrien couldn't register how she managed to pull it off when his brain was fried over the fact there was a smoking hot woman with a blazing fire in her eyes pressing him firmly against the wall.

He shook his head. How'd he get so lucky to be this woman's husband? Because he didn't know.

Shaking her head, she playfully tsked him. "You're good, but I'm better."

 _We'll see about that._ The tango of mouths and dance of hands began not even a second after that fleeting thought.

Somewhere in his mind, he realized they should be making their way toward the bedroom because while he'd happily love his wife into oblivion anywhere, maybe the bed was the best option. He took a step, something hit his shoulder.

 _Crash!_

The duo jumped apart, hearts pounding for a whole new reason now, and stared at the floor that was now riddled with broken glass and a busted picture frame.

"You broke it!"

" _I_ broke it?" Adrien countered.

"Yeah," Marinette scolded with a smile. "Now there's glass all our hallway. What are you going to do about it, kitty?"

He stared at her, then at the glass, then back at her.

He smiled.

"Save the princess!" he shouted. He grabbed her knees and hoisted her over his shoulder, garnering a squeal of laughter out of her that rung through the house.

"Adrien! Put me down!"

But he could hear the smile on her face as he carefully stepped over the broken glass. "Not until I assure the princess is safe," he insisted, his grin growing wider by the second. "Tis my job as her loyal knight to ensure her safety from shards of glass."

Her laughter rendered her useless to respond.

He marched into the bedroom, positioned himself at the foot of the bed, then swung her back over his shoulder so she collided with the mattress.

He never let go of her legs as he watched her, her head tossed back as she shrieked with laughter. Honestly, he missed that so much, that unbridled joy of hers.

Seeing it again sent warm fuzzies pulsing through him.

But her laughter was also contagious. He couldn't help but chuckle along.

Gradually, their laughter slowed and their eyes locked once again. Adrien let go of her knees and shifted to hover directly above her. She draped her arms over his neck, and he felt like he could fly right then and there.

"I can't believe we almost got rid of us," she whispered.

His gut sank like a stone, and he grew sick at the thought. They really almost had. He had tossed his ring at her. She almost didn't do the love dare. He almost didn't respond.

"We would have been miserable," Adrien said. "We might have each woken up one day and realized what we lost."

Marinette nodded. "I don't want to think about it."

"Neither do I," he said, leaning down to press his lips to hers. "So let's not. I think we have better things to do tonight. What do you say _Mrs. Agreste_?"

Her grip on him tightened, and she shot him a smile that was so warm it could melt him into a puddle. "I think," she said. "That tonight, we stay under house _Agreste._ "

His heart beat _wildly._ "I knew you always liked my puns."

* * *

Plagg and Tikki looked over the very dead picture frame on the floor in the hallway.

"I know that I helped them with chores before," Plagg commented. "But I'm not cleaning that up."

"I think they can deal with it in the morning," Tikki agreed. "Right now, I'd like to get some sleep."

"Count me in, Tikki."


	14. Chapter 14

**Day 40**

 _Love is a covenant._

The words rolled around Adrien's mind as he took his time setting up candles for the evening. They agreed to meet here, on the Eiffel Tower, just like they used to do. It had been Marinette's idea when she brought up how much she missed being Ladybug.

And Adrien had to admit he didn't realize how much he missed being Chat Noir until he transformed and began running through the city.

He'd bring up the possibility of doing this again, of having this become their bonding time just like it used to be when they "patrolled" the city.

Just as he lit the last candle, Ladybug swung in. Chat straightened, standing tall in pride at his work of setting up candles and flowers everywhere on this little spot high above everywhere else.

She looked over the scene, her eyes wide as she took it in. "Oh, kitty," Ladybug whined, her eyes soft as she crossed her hands over her chest. "You didn't have to do this."

His heart swelled. "For my lady, anything. Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful."

His grin widened. "I'm glad."

She set the bag filled with their dinner on the ground before walking up to him and throwing her arms over his shoulders. Instantly, he swooped her up, holding her tightly against his chest as he lifted her feet off the ground. They stayed like that for a while before Chat lowered her back to the ground.

"Thank you," she whispered in his shoulder.

"For you, milady, the world."

She squeezed him tightly one last time before slipping from his grasp. She took a breath, clearly composing herself before swiping at her eyes. "I'm going to start crying, and we haven't even recited vows yet."

Chat chuckled, though he felt the same way. They had come up here with a purpose, and that purpose was completing the day's dare: write new vows to recite to your partner.

So they did. They each had spent the day rewriting vows to the other. Adrien remembered the first time he wrote vows, he spent days agonizing over it. Today, he only had a couple hours to complete it, which was nice in a sense because he knew it didn't have to be pretty, they just had to be true and earnest.

Though, he wanted them to be pretty. They agreed they would get their vows framed together and use it to replace the picture they killed last week.

Oops.

With a steadying breath, Chat pulled out his copy of his vows from his pocket, just as Ladybug pulled out a copy of hers.

He went first, reciting the vows and promises he wrote down and fully intended to follow. Half way through, she was crying, and he wasn't far behind. And then he finished with pulling a locket from his other pocket.

Her jaw fell to the ground.

"We may not have rings this time around," he said. "But I want to give you this as a symbol that I love you and always want to be with you, no matter what challenges we face or other rough spots we hit. I want to fight for this marriage because I nearly made the stupid decision to give it up. And I'm sorry. I'm ready to go forward with this marriage stronger than our partnership ever was."

Ladybug couldn't even look him in the eye. She was in complete tears, hands over her mouth, as she stared at the necklace. A heart that he had engraved with "Love Dares."

Carefully, he cracked it open so she could see two pictures. One of them on their wedding day, and one of them as superheroes snuggled together. He owed Alya big time for helping him with that. "May I put it on you?"

"Please."

He walked up behind her and carefully draped the necklace around her neck. He clasped it, and she immediately reached up to hold the locket that sat right at her collarbone. "I love it," she said. "I love it."

"I'm glad," he said, hugging her from behind. She melted into him, tears still pouring down her face just as a couple slipped down his cheeks.

They stayed like that for a little while longer before Ladybug turned in his arms. "I still have vows to recite to you."

He smiled, his heart warm. "Okay."

Just as he suspected, she reduced him to tears with her vows and promises. "And," she continued. "I knew we wouldn't have rings this time, either. So I have a little something else to present you with. Something you could keep with you to remember that our time together is precious."

She slipped over to the bag she'd brought and pulled out a little black box. His heart leapt. She got him something? She was busy all day but still managed to get him something?

With a smile, she opened the box, revealing a pocket watch.

He'd carry that thing with him the rest of his life.

Carefully, he picked it up from the box and looked it over, realizing that it had been engraved, too.

 _Time is Love_

Through his tears, he sniggered. "It's a pun."

Her smile grew as a giggle slipped out. "I know."

He opened it, and in the lid of the watch, there was a picture of them. One from their honeymoon that had been snapped as a candid but was so precious since Marinette was in a Ladybug dress and Adrien was decked in black with hints of green and silver.

"I love it," he said, closing it and holding it against his chest. "I love it so much."

"I'm glad."

With that, he kissed her. Long and hard and fervently. Because this was his wife and the most precious treasure he could ever hope to find.

And he would spend the rest of his life proving that to her.

* * *

 **Five weeks later**

Marinette and Adrien agreed that they needed continue kwami counseling. They each were messes and knew they still had a lot to work through. Plus, it was time together, spilling secrets the other may not have been privy too and strengthening their bond in the process.

However, it was halfway through this week's counseling session that Marinette felt positively sick to her stomach.

"Marinette?"

Oh, was it her turn to talk? "I… sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

With a concerned expression, Adrien reached for her hands. "Are you feeling all right? You look really pale."

Marinette nodded, but the second she shifted on the couch, her stomach roiled and she began adamantly shaking her head.

Next thing she knew, she was running toward the bathroom.

"Marinette!"

She barely lifted the lid to the toilet before her stomach emptied all its contents into it. Adrien was by her side soon enough, pulling her hair out of the way and rubbing her back soothingly.

Eventually, her stomach had nothing left to give up. Feeling exhausted and sweaty, she reached up to flush the toilet, making it disappear.

"Better?" Adrien asked, not stopping the soothing circles on her back.

She gave a nod, unable to answer.

"Do you want some water?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," he said, standing up. "Do you want to stay here, or do you want me to help you to bed?"

She thought about moving, but that sounded very unappealing. "Stay here."

"Okay." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before walking out of the bathroom toward the kitchen.

* * *

"Plagg," Tikki said, looking off toward the bathroom where her charge had bolted off to.

"Yeah, Tikki?"

"Adrien agreed to go to the store today, right?"

Plagg looked at her suspiciously. "Why?"

"I need you to get something."

* * *

When Adrien came back from the store, Marinette was feeling well enough to help put everything away.

"Thank you, bugaboo."

"Of course, kitty."

"I'm just glad you're feeling better."

"Yeah," Marinette said, grabbing the bag full of bathroom supplies. "Me too."

Adrien shot her a smile just as she headed toward the bathroom, but this time to put stuff away. She was halfway done when she pulled out an item she knew wasn't on the list.

"Adrien?"

"Yeah?"

She appeared into the kitchen, holding up the little rectangular box. "Ummm… are you trying to tell me something?"

His brow furrowed as he stared at the item. "I didn't get that."

"I did," Plagg piped up, looking at Adrien. "You're so clueless; you didn't even notice I slipped that in."

Adrien's eyes narrowed at his kwami. "I'll keep that in mind."

"But… why?" Marinette asked, waving the box in the air in front of her.

"I asked Plagg to," Tikki piped in. "I have my suspicions."

Suddenly, both Marinette and Adrien showed a little more interest in the box.

"You… you think?" Marinette asked.

"When was the last time you or Adrien used contraceptive?"

Marinette's eyes locked on Adrien's. They were blushing bright red within seconds because the answer very well could be "not recently enough."

Partly to hide out of sheer embarrassment, Marinette slipped back down the hall to the bathroom, where she shut the door and took the test.

Before she could find out what the test said, she walked out of the bathroom to finish helping Adrien put the rest of the things away, only to find him right outside the bathroom.

"Well?" he asked.

"I don't know yet," she said, siding up to him. "We have to wait."

His expression fell and his gaze hit the ground. "Oh."

There was a silence between them.

Slowly, Marinette reached out to slide her hand into his. "What do you want it to be?"

With a confused hum, Adrien looked back at her.

She took a breath. "Do you want it to be positive or negative?"

His brow furrowed. "What kind of question is that?"

Words got caught in her throat for a moment. "I… we just put us back together."

"So?"

Again, words got caught in her throat, but this time they stayed there.

Adrien smiled. "Sweetheart," he said, grabbing her other hand and squeezing tightly. "We may have just put us back together, but frankly, I don't think we're falling apart any time soon. Not when we both are willing to put in extra work to make sure we don't end up where we had been. And…" he sighed. "I know we've talked about a family before we got married. You know I want one, particularly with you. The fact there could be a baby makes me _positively_ ecstatic."

She looked at him and his unabashed smile. And she couldn't help but laugh at him. "You are such a dork."

" _Your_ dork," he corrected. "And your husband, and possibly the father of your child."

Something warmed in her at that. She'd always wanted to be a mother, and now, at the prospect of finally being one…

She glanced behind her at the bathroom.

"You think it's done yet?" he asked.

"Possibly."

"Then let's go see."

Together, hand in hand, they walked into the bathroom to look at the little pregnancy test on the counter.

And those two lines they saw caused immense joy in the Agreste household.

* * *

 **Ten Years Later**

Had you asked a teenaged Marinette where she would be now in her life, she would have answered that she had the perfect life: married to Adrien and had three kids and a hamster while she worked as a fashion designer.

Well, she did work as a fashion designer, running her own company. She'd managed to rebrand _Gabriel_ as _MDC,_ which did wonders for increasing the popularity of the company. While yes, she did bear the Agreste name, and proudly, MDC made for some really fancy monograms.

Adrien found it hilarious.

The hamster was scrapped because there was a penchant for cats in the household.

Marinette had to put her foot down at three.

Number four was _only_ because it was a kitten that Emma _begged_ to nurse back to health and she couldn't say no when her husband and her eldest ganged up on her.

There were three kids, though. There was Emma, her first and most responsible. Then Louis came along two years after that. Next, little Hugo was nearly four.

And then there was little anniversary accident that didn't have a name yet. But, considering how severe her morning sickness, Marinette was searching for a girl's name.

Lastly, yes, she was married to Adrien, but to say life had been easy was an outright lie. To think that one day they almost ended everything…

Marinette held her stomach while she looked toward the living room where her three other kids were playing with the cats. This almost wasn't. Four of the most important people in her life, one she hadn't even met yet, almost weren't in existence.

Strong arms encircled her, protectively wrapping around her stomach and pulling her flush against a firm chest, one built from years of fencing, including—much to Marinette's pride—on the Olympic team. Twice.

 _MDC_ may have been a very proud sponsor of one gold Olympic winner and two-time world champion.

"What's going through that pretty little head of yours, bugaboo?" he whispered.

She sighed, snuggling deeper against him. "Have… have you ever looked at those three or thought of this one," Marinette held his hand to her slightly bulged stomach, "and thought… that they almost didn't exist."

Adrien tensed at that. "Yeah, actually," he said. "I have. Particularly when I look at Emma, knowing when she was conceived."

Marinette blushed.

"But," he continued, "I am so immensely grateful that Tikki and Plagg made us pull our stuff together before we did something we would regret. Heavily. Because yes, we each could have married again, had kids of our own, but knowing that… that _you're_ the one beside me, that _you're_ the mother of my children, that _we_ are going through life and facing it together… I would have missed that. And _that's_ what I would have lived to regret."

Marinette smiled as she looked toward the framed vows hanging on the wall in the living room of their larger house. They'd had to move when Hugo was born because their first house was too small for two kids. So instead of putting their vows hidden in a hallway, they put it front and center in a room where they could all see it as a reminder that their family was the most important thing in their lives. As their reminder to never give up.

Marinette reached up to grab her locket, one she wore regularly. Adrien hummed as he pulled his watch out of his pocket. Honestly, Marinette hadn't expected him to wear it as often as he did, but Adrien never left the house without it.

"I love you," he said, giving her a squeeze and replacing the watch. "You have no idea."

She smirked. "Well, there are three kids in this house with another on the way. I think that should be _some_ indication."

Adrien chuckled. "And that right there is why I love you."

Her smile turned sweet. "I love you, too, kitty. To the end of the world and back."

He smiled, slipping his left hand over hers, their rings touching as he wove their fingers together. "To the end of the world and back."


End file.
